Revisiting Pathological Criteria for Earlier Diagnosis of Coeliac Disease.

Objectives: The diagnosis of coeliac disease (CD) remains sometimes difficult because the histological criteria are not fully met. The aim of this study was to refine histological diagnostic criteria of CD.

Methods: One hundred seventy-five duodenal bulb D1 (n = 79) and duodenal D2 (n = 96) biopsies of 96 patients with CD (58 girls, mean age 7 years), 135 normal D2 biopsies (69 girls, mean age 12 years), and 64 D2 biopsies of other digestive disorders (DDs) (39 girls, mean age 13 years) obtained from children during a period of 4 years were reviewed.