The Prevalence of Celiac Disease in Children Suffering Chronic Constipation: A Study in the Western Region of Iran

Background: Although celiac disease is considered one of the preconditions and predisposing factors for chronic constipation in children, accurate statistics on the prevalence of the celiac disease among Iranian children with chronic functional constipation is not available. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of celiac disease in children suffering from chronic constipation. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 360 children over one year of age with chronic constipation. A sample of venous blood was extracted from all subjects and the serologic studies of total IgA, IgA TTG, and IgG TTG were performed using the ELISA technique. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopic biopsy was also scheduled for those children with the positive IgA TTG. Results: Two patients with raised levels of both IgA and IgA TTG antibodies were assessed by endoscopy, and a definitive diagnosis of celiac disease was confirmed in one of them leading to the overall prevalence of 0.27% for celiac disease among children with chronic constipation. Conclusion: In total, 0.27% of children with chronic constipation in the area under investigation suffer from celiac disease.