Antiendomysium antibodies and antigliadin antibodies in diagnosis and follow-up of celiac disease

Anti-endomysium antibodies (AEA) and Antigliadin antibodies (AGA) have been compared in a group of coeliac patients (17 with untreated coeliac disease, 56 after gluten free diet and 14 after gluten challenge), in 69 patients with various intestinal pathological conditions, and in 40 healthy children, in order to appreciate sensitivity and specificity of these tests in diagnosis of coeliac disease. AEA and AGA IgA were detected in 100% and AGA IgG were found in 94.1% of coeliacs with untreated disease; after gluten free diet AGA IgG were found in 27.7% of cases, while AGA IgA and AEA were absent in all coeliacs but one with non correct compliance to diet. After gluten challenge followed by villous atrophy, 78.5% of patients were positive for AGA IgA, 85.71% for AGA IgG and 100% for AEA. Anti-endomysium antibodies were absent both in healthy controls both in control disease patients, while sometimes antigliadin antibodies were present in patients with various intestinal pathology (AGA IgA in 1.44% and AGA IgG in 7.2% of cases). In our experience therefore AEA, because their sensitivity and high specificity, appear to disclose new prospects in diagnosis of coeliac disease.