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Coeliac disease: to screen or not to screen, that is the question

John M Duggan and Anne E Duggan
Med J Aust 2009; 190 (8): . || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2009.tb02484.x
Published online: 20 April 2009

An appropriate strategy is to test patients with symptoms and signs attributable to coeliac disease

In recent years, knowledge about coeliac disease (CD) has improved significantly, and we now have a better understanding of the diagnosis and pathogenesis of the disease. In this issue of the Journal Chin and colleagues report the largest community study of CD undertaken in Australia.1 The study found a prevalence of CD of between 0.56% and 0.96%,1 similar to prevalences found in European population studies. A recent population-based serological study (without biopsy) in the United States found a prevalence of 0.95%.2


  • Department of Gastroenterology, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, NSW.


Correspondence: Duggan@hunterlink.net.au

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  • 2. Fasano A, Berti I, Gerarduzzi T, et al. Prevalence of celiac disease in at-risk and not-at-risk groups in the United States: a large multicenter study. Arch Intern Med 2003; 163: 286-292.
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  • 7. Hin H, Bird G, Fisher P, et al. Coeliac disease in primary care: case finding study. BMJ 1999; 318: 164-167.
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  • 9. Catassi C, Kryszak D, Louis-Jacques O, et al. Detection of celiac disease in primary care: a multicenter case-finding study in North America. Am J Gastroenterol 2007; 102: 1454-1460.

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