Towards an individual screening strategy for first-degree relatives of celiac patients

Conclusion: Future screening policies for relatives of celiac patients should include retesting, especially in HLA-positive relatives younger than 10  years of age. In addition, one-time celiac-specific antibody testing alone could be sufficient to rule out the disease in adolescent siblings and parents of newly diagnosed celiac patients.What is Known:• Celiac disease is more prevalent in first-degree relatives of celiac patients (risk 3–12%).• HLA-DQ2 homozygous sisters/daughters are at highest risk (25%).What is New:• If younger than 10 years of age, repeated testing is necessary in HLA-DQ2/DQ8-positive first-degree relatives when celiac disease is diagnosed in a family.• One-time celiac-specific antibody testing alone could be sufficient to rule out the disease in adolescent siblings and parents of newly diagnosed celiac patients.

Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - July 4, 2018 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research