Clinical Manifestation and Diagnostic Process of Celiac Disease in Poland-Comparison of Pediatric and Adult Patients in Retrospective Study

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 14; no. 3; p. 491
• Main Authors: Majsiak, Emilia, Choina, Magdalena, Gray, Alastair M, Wysokiński, Mariusz, Cukrowska, Bożena
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 23-01-2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Abdomen; Abdominal Pain - etiology; Adult; Adults; Age; Anemia; Autoimmune diseases; Celiac disease; Celiac Disease - diagnosis; Celiac Disease - epidemiology; Child; Children; Comorbidity; delayed diagnosis; Diagnosis; diagnostic process; Diagnostic systems; Diarrhea; Fatigue; Gluten; gluten free diet; Glutens; Headaches; Humans; Osteoporosis; Pain; Patients; Pediatrics; Poland - epidemiology; Questionnaires; Retrospective Studies; Signs and symptoms; Skin; Statistical analysis; Poland; celiac disease; delayed diagnosis; gluten free diet; diagnostic process
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu14030491

The diagnosis of celiac disease (CD) may be delayed due to non-specific clinical symptoms. The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical manifestation and diagnostic process of CD in Polish children and adults. Methods: The members of the Polish Coeliac Society (n = 2500) were asked to complete a questionnaire on socio-demographic factors, clinical and diagnostic aspects of CD. The analysis was based on 796 responses from patients with confirmed CD diagnosis, and included 224 (28.1%) children and 572 (71.9%) adults. Results: The mean duration of symptoms prior to CD diagnosis in children was significantly shorter than in adults (p < 0.001), and amounted to 3.1 and 9 years respectively. The most frequent symptoms before CD diagnosis were abdominal pain and bloating in children (70.4%), and chronic fatigue in adults (74.5%). Although almost all CD patients claimed to strictly avoid gluten after CD diagnosis, symptoms were still present in the majority of these respondents. No comorbid diseases were reported by 29.8% of children and by 11.7% of adults (p < 0.001). Conclusions: the results indicate that CD diagnosis is delayed in Poland, especially in adults, and clinicians should be aware of the diversity in CD presentation.