The Prevalence of Celiac Disease in Children with Unexplained Failure to Thrive in South West of Iran

Background Celiac disease (CD), considered as a common chronic and genetic diseases that caused by hypersensitivity to gluten. Failure to thrive (FTT), is one of three major clinical features of CD during childhood. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence of celiac disease in children with unexplained FTT in South West of Iran. Materials and Methods  This cross‑sectional study was conducted on 433 children 9-month to 6 years old that diagnosed as unexplained FTT referred to Abuzar Children's Hospital, Ahvaz, South West of Iran, in 2014. In this study, we examined the serum levels of anti-transglutaminase antibody (anti-tTG) in children with unexplained FTT. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 software. Results  The results showed that the prevalence of CD in children with unexplained FTT in was 8.8%. The mean scores of children's anti-tTG serum levels in both gender and age groups, showed no significant difference (P> 0.05). Conclusion  At current study, the prevalence of CD in children with FTT was 8.8%. Since the CD is an important cause of unexplained FTT in children, the early screening and diagnosis and dietary management can be decrease the risk for long-term complications in these children.