A No-Biopsy Approach for the Diagnosis of Celiac Disease in Adults: Can It Be Real?

Background and objective Pediatric guidelines on the diagnosis of celiac disease (CD) have reported that the positivity of anti-endomysium antibodies in the presence of anti-transglutaminase antibodies (TGA) 10 times higher than normal is sufficient for the diagnosis. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether this diagnostic process for children can also be applied to adult patients. Materials and methods We retrospectively examined patients aged >18 years who were diagnosed with CD. The results of serological tests and endoscopic biopsy were evaluated. Patients with more than one month of duration between celiac serology and endoscopy, those diagnosed with CD before admission, those on a gluten-free diet, and those with selective IgA deficiency were excluded from the study. Results A total of 269 patients were included in the study. TGA value was significantly higher in patients with villous atrophy (p<0.001) and positively correlated with mucosal damage (r=0.60, p<0.01). Considering the cut-off value of 100 U/mL (>10 ULN) for the TGA antibodies, in line with the criteria regulated by the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) for the diagnosis of CD, the sensitivity was 71.64%, the specificity was 100%, and the positive predictive value (PPV) was 100%. When the cut-off value was taken as 29.42 U/mL, the sensitivity was 100% and the specificity was 99.5%. For a TGA cut-off value of 52.7 U/mL (5.27 ULN), which determines the presence of partial or complete villous atrophy in the evaluation made considering mucosal damage, the sensitivity was 90%, the specificity was 100%, and the PPV was 100%. Conclusion Based on our findings, TGA titers were highly effective in demonstrating CD-related mucosal damage. This study endorses a biopsy-free strategy in adult patients in line with the ESPGHAN criteria. Local validation of test-specific thresholds will ensure that this approach has a significant impact on adult patients.