Progression of pediatric celiac disease from potential celiac disease to celiac disease: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: A subset of patients with serology suggesting celiac disease have an initially negative biopsy but subsequently develop histopathologic celiac disease. Here we characterize patients with potential celiac disease who progress to celiac disease. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of children (0–18 years of age) with biopsy-confirmed celiac disease seen at St. Louis Children’s Hospital between 2013 and 2018. RESULTS: Three hundred sixteen of 327 (96%) children with biopsy-confirmed celiac disease were diagnosed on initial biopsy. The 11 children with potential celiac disease who progressed to celiac disease had lower anti-tissue transglutaminase (anti-TTG IgA) concentrations (2.4 (1.6–5) X upper limit of normal (ULN) vs. 6.41 (3.4–10.5) X ULN) at time of first biopsy. Their median anti-TTG IgA concentrations rose from 2.4 (1.6–5) X ULN to 3.6 (3.1–9.2) X ULN between biopsies. CONCLUSIONS: Four percent of biopsy confirmed celiac patients initially had a negative biopsy, but later developed histopathologic celiac disease. This is likely an underestimate as no surveillance algorithm was in place. We recommend repeat assessment in children whose serology suggests celiac disease despite normal small bowel biopsy. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12887-021-02625-z.