Coeliac disease re-screening among once seronegative at-risk relatives: A long-term follow-up study.

Background: Serological screening of the relatives of coeliac disease patients is widely endorsed. However, the need for and the optimal timing of possible re-testing of once seronegative at-risk individuals for coeliac disease remain unclear.

Objective: We investigated this issue by inviting a large cohort of previously screening-negative relatives of patients with coeliac disease to participate in a follow-up study.

Presence of high-risk HLA genotype is the most important individual risk factor for coeliac disease among at-risk relatives.

Background: Family screening has been advocated as a means to reduce the major underdiagnosis of coeliac disease. However, the precise risk of the disease in relatives and the impact of patient- and relative-related individual factors remain obscure.

Aims: To investigate the individual risk of coeliac disease among patients' relatives.