Prevalence of Celiac Disease in Children with Autoimmune Hepatitis and vice versa

OBJECTIVE Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the risk of autoimmune liver disease is high. Autoimmune hepatitis is a chronic and progressive entity and the risk of its being associated with other autoimmune disorders such as celiac disease is high also. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of celiac disease in patients with autoimmune hepatitis and vice versa. METHODS In a cross-sectional study children with autoimmune hepatitis underwent serological screening and endoscopy for celiac disease. In patients with celiac disease, serum aminotransferases were measured and, if abnormal, autoantibodies related to autoimmune hepatitis were checked and needle liver biopsy was performed. FINDINGS Of the 96 patients, 64 had autoimmune hepatitis and 32 celiac disease. Among patients with autoimmune hepatitis only three (4.7%) were compatible with celiac disease. In the group of patients with celiac disease, autoimmune hepatitis was confirmed in four (12.5%) cases. We consider important to state that 3.1% of this group had celiac hepatitis. CONCLUSION Autoimmune liver disease is sometimes associated with latent celiac disease. Serological screening for celiac disease should be routinely done in patients with abnormal serum aminotransferases, particularly those with chronic liver disease. On the other hand, celiac disease is often accompanied by other autoimmune diseases, including autoimmune hepatitis.