Objectives:
to compared clinical characteristics and ultrasound parameters in a group of children and adolescents recently diagnosed with celiac disease with a control group.
Methods:
a clinical study was carried out with a sample of 20 patients recently diagnosed with celiac disease and 35 patients without the disease and with no symptoms of it. Abdominal ultrasound examinations were carried out with all patients. The cases underwent ultrasound examination during the diagnostic investigation phase, when they were still consuming gluten. Ultrasound and Doppler parameters related to the characteristics of intestinal folds, lymphonodular megaly and alterations in splanchnic blood flow were measured. The differences in proportions between the two groups were evaluated using the chi-squared and Fisher's exact test and the difference between means using Student's t test.
Results:
the principal clinical manifestations related to celiac disease were digestive ones, such as diarrhea (12/20), abdominal pain (14/20) and swelling of the abdomen (15/20). Patients with celiac disease presented with a larger transverse diameter of the folds of the small intestine (p=0.001), greater intestinal peristalsis (p=0.002), increased liquid content in the intestines (p=0.02), and thickening of the intestine wall (p<0.001).
Conclusions:
alterations suggestive of poor digestion/absorption (increased diameter of the transverse folds of the small intestine, greater intestinal peristalsis, increased liquid content) and thickening of the intestine wall in patients complaining of digestive problems should alert clinicians to investigate the possibility of celiac disease.
Celiac disease; Ultrasonography; Child; Adolescent