Prevalence of celiac disease among blood donors in São Paulo: the most populated city in Brazil

Authors

  • Marília Lage Alencar Universidade de São Paulo; Faculdade de Medicina; Hospital das Clínicas; Laboratorio de Gastroenterologia Clínica e Experimental - LIM 07
  • Carmen Lucia Ortiz-Agostinho Universidade de São Paulo; Faculdade de Medicina; Hospital das Clínicas; Laboratorio de Gastroenterologia Clínica e Experimental - LIM 07
  • lêda Nishitokukado Universidade de São Paulo; Faculdade de Medicina; Hospital das Clínicas; Laboratorio de Gastroenterologia Clínica e Experimental - LIM 07
  • Adérson O.M.C. Damião Universidade de São Paulo; Faculdade de Medicina; Hospital das Clínicas; Laboratorio de Gastroenterologia Clínica e Experimental - LIM 07
  • Clarice P. Abrantes-Lemos Universidade de São Paulo; Faculdade de Medicina; Hospital das Clínicas; Laboratorio de Gastroenterologia Clínica e Experimental - LIM 07
  • André Zonetti de Arruda Leite Universidade de São Paulo; Faculdade de Medicina; Hospital das Clínicas; Laboratorio de Gastroenterologia Clínica e Experimental - LIM 07
  • Thales de Brito Universidade de São Paulo; Faculdade de Medicina; Hospital das Clínicas; Laboratorio de Imunopatologia - LIM 06
  • Dalton de Alencar Fischer Chamone Blood Center of São Paulo; Fundação Pró-Sangue
  • Maria Elizabeth Rossi da Silva Universidade de São Paulo; Faculdade de Medicina; Hospital das Clínicas; Laboratório de Investigação Médica - LIM 18
  • Daniel Giannella-Neto Universidade de São Paulo; Faculdade de Medicina; Hospital das Clínicas; Laboratorio de Gastroenterologia Clínica e Experimental - LIM 07
  • Aytan Miranda Sipahi Universidade de São Paulo; Faculdade de Medicina; Hospital das Clínicas; Laboratorio de Gastroenterologia Clínica e Experimental - LIM 07

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6061/clinics/2012(09)05

Keywords:

Celiac disease, Prevalence, Blood center, Anti-transglutaminase antibody, Anti-endomysium antibody, Human leukocyte antigen

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Celiac disease is a permanent enteropathy caused by the ingestion of gluten, which leads to an immunemediated inflammation of the small intestine mucosa. The prevalence of celiac disease varies among different nations and ethnic backgrounds, and its diversity is determined by genetic and environmental factors. São Paulo city is one of the largest cities in the world, with a vast population and an important history of internal migratory flow from other Brazilian regions, as well as immigration from other, primarily European, countries, resulting in significant miscegenation. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of adults with undiagnosed celiac disease among blood donors of São Paulo by collecting information on the ancestry of the population studied. METHODS: The prevalence of celiac disease was assessed by screening for positive IgA transglutaminase and IgA endomysium antibodies in 4,000 donors (volunteers) in the Fundação Pró-Sangue Blood Center of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. The antibody-positive subjects were asked to undergo a small bowel biopsy. RESULTS: Of the 4,000 subjects, twenty-four had positive tests, although both antibody tests were not always concordant. For example, ten subjects were positive for IgA tissue transglutaminase only. In twenty-one positive patients, duodenal biopsies were performed, and the diagnosis of celiac disease was confirmed in fourteen patients (Marsh criteria modified by Oberhuber). In this group, 67% claimed to have European ancestry, mainly from Italy, Portugal and Spain. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of celiac disease is at least 1:286 among supposedly healthy blood bank volunteers in São Paulo, Brazil.

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Published

2012-09-01

Issue

Section

Clinical Sciences

How to Cite

Alencar, M. L., Ortiz-Agostinho, C. L., Nishitokukado, lêda, Damião, A. O., Abrantes-Lemos, C. P., Leite, A. Z. de A., Brito, T. de, Chamone, D. de A. F., Silva, M. E. R. da, Giannella-Neto, D., & Sipahi, A. M. (2012). Prevalence of celiac disease among blood donors in São Paulo: the most populated city in Brazil. Clinics, 67(9), 1013-1018. https://doi.org/10.6061/clinics/2012(09)05