Serum anti endomysial and anti transglutaminase antibodies in patients with connective tissue diseases

Background: The detection of anti-transglutaminase IgA (tTG) and antiendomysial (EMA) is used for screening of celiac disease (CD) with a sensitivity and specificity of 90 and 99% respectively. There is an association between CD and connective tissue diseases (CTD). Aim: To report the frequency of IgA tTG and EMA in patients with a definite diagnosis of CTD and inflammatory arthropathies (IA). Material and Methods: One hundred forty nine patients, aged 19 to 86 years (133 females) with CTD and IA were studied. tTG were determined by ELISA and EMA by indirect immunofluorescence. Results: Eight participants had at least one positive antibody (5.4%, confidence intervals (CI) = 1.8-9), six had both (4.0% CI = 0.9-7.2) and two had only tTG positive. An intestinal biopsy was performed in four of these participants, finding a marked villous atrophy in three and partial atrophy in one. Conclusions: Five percent of this group of patients with CTD or LA had positive antibodies for CD.