[Detection of coeliac disease in the late childhood. Discussion on clinical presentation and diagnostic criteria. (Preliminary results) (author's transl)].

In this study 9 children ranging from 8 to 15 years of age affected by "short stature" not due to endocrine diseases underwent intestinal biopsy. In 5 of then a subtotal villous athrophy (STVA) has been shown and coeliac disease then diagnosed. The AA. underline the fact that in children with short stature, anamnestic and laboratoristic criteria are unreliable in suspecting the disease and stress the importance of jejunal biopsy as part of the diagnostic work-up in all cases of short stature which find any other clearcut explanations. The possibility monosymptomatic coeliac disease in the late childhood is in fact by now supported by documentary evidence.