Physical development in children with celiac disease in St. Petersburg

Abstract

Aim: to compare physical development in children with celiac disease (CD), depending on adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD), and in children without CD.Materials and methods: 176 children with gastrointestinal disease were examined. Group 1 consisted of 58 children with newly diagnosed CD and chronic gastritis (CG), before the appointment of a gluten-free diet (GFD), group 2–49 children with CD and CG, adhered of GFD for 1 year, the comparison group consisted of 69 children with CG and duodenitis and excluded CD. The assessment of anthropometric data was carried out using the WHO AnthroPlus software (2009), with the determination of BMI and Z-score values: WAZ, SD; WHZ, SD; HAZ, SD; BAZ, SD.Results: The groups of participants in the study were homogeneous in terms of gender and age. BMI (16,57±3,29; 1,96 ± 3,96; 18,17±,22; t1,2=0,573; t1,3=0,007; t2,3=0,009). Weight deficiency was more often observed in patients in group 1 (56,8%, 4,1%, 23,2%; P1,2=0,00; P1,3=0,00; P2,3=0,02). Obesity was detected in the groups equally (1,7%, 4,1%, 4,3%; P1,2=0,00; P1,3=0,01; P2,3=0,04). Normal body weight was most common in groups 2 (39,7%, 91,8%, 7205%; P1,2=0,00; P1,3=0,01; P2,3=0,04). HAZ, SD statistically differed in all groups (–0,3928±1,13; 0,0133±1,06; 0,4664±1,15; t1,2=0,008, t1,3=0,004, t2,3=0,031).Conclusion: normal body weight was most typical for children on GFD. HAZ, SD in children with CD increased in comparison with children with newly diagnosed CD, but it was less, than in group 3. After a one year of GFD, the improvement of weight has a more pronounced dynamics than growth.