Table 2.
Clinical presentation (with or without symptoms and signs of malabsorption) and diagnostic approach of children with CD. In the group of patients who underwent duodenal biopsy, signs and symptoms of malabsorption were slightly more common in those who would have been eligible for the “no-biopsy” approach (67.8% vs 59.6%; NS). There were no significant differences in clinical presentation between children, diagnosed using “no-biopsy” approach and those who underwent duodenal biopsy but would have been eligible (by the TGA level ≥ 10× ULN) for the “no-biopsy” approach (72.0% vs 67.8%; NS). However, signs and symptoms of malabsorption were significantly more common in patients who were diagnosed using “no-biopsy” approach in comparison to those that were not eligible for the “no-biopsy” approach (72.0% vs 59.6%; p < 0.05).
“No-biopsy” approach | Duodenal biopsy | ||
---|---|---|---|
Eligible∗ for “no-biopsy” | Not eligible for “no-biopsy” | ||
Malabsorptive (% within group) | 77# (72.0%) | 145 (67.8%) | 118# (59.6%) |
Non-malabsorptive (% within group) | 30 (28.0%) | 69 (32.2%) | 80 (40.4%) |
Number of patients | 107 | 214 | 198 |
∗Eligible by TGA level ≥ 10× ULN. #p < 0.05 “no-biopsy” vs not eligible for the “no-biopsy” group.