Anthropometry, metabolic control, and thyroid autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes with Celiac disease: A multicenter survey

Objective To investigate the influence of celiac disease (CD) on growth and metabolic control in a nationwide cohort of children and adolescents with type I diabetes (TID). Study design We analyzed data from 19,796 pediatric patients with TID in the German pediatric multicenter DPV-database for occurrence of CD. Results CD-specific antibodies were present in 1326 patients (6.7%). The diagnosis was confirmed in 127 patients (0.6%) by small-bowel biopsy. Female subjects were significantly more predisposed to have TID and CD. The CD-affected patients. in our cohort were significantly younger at diabetes onset. Furthermore, they had significantly lower height-SDS at onset (-0.49 vs -0.06, P <.0i), a difference that increased during the course of the disease (-0.80 vs -0.26 after 9 years of diabetes, P <.05). In addition, body mass index-SDS significantly differed between the groups (0.22 vs 0.47, P <.05). Evidence for thyroid disease was more commonly observed in the TID with CD group (6.3% vs 2.3%, P <.05). HbAlc values were lower in the patients with TID and CD. Conclusions The CD-positive patients were characterized by earlier onset of diabetes and decreased growth and weight gain. These findings emphasize the clinical relevance of celiac disease in patients with autoimmune diabetes.