Retrospective Cohort Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2020.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 14, 2020; 26(26): 3780-3791
Published online Jul 14, 2020. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v26.i26.3780
Table 1 Summary of patient characteristics at the time of biopsy on gluten-free diet
CharacteristicCategoryAll patients with celiac disease (n = 82)
n%
GenderFemale6781.7
Male1518.3
Villous atrophyNo6376.8
Yes1923.2
Marsh in follow-up biopsyMarsh 04453.7
Marsh 11923.2
Marsh 3a1012.2
Marsh 3b44.9
Marsh 3c56.1
Autoantibodies aTTGNegative6377.8
Positive1822.2
Unknown11.2
Autoantibodies aDGPNegative4962.8
Positive2937.2
Unknown44.9
DiarrheaNo6275.6
Yes1923.2
Unknown11.2
Weight lossNo7389.0
Yes89.8
Unknown11.2
Abdominal painNo6478.0
Yes1720.7
Unknown11.2
AnemiaNo7186.6
Yes911.0
Unknown22.4
SideropeniaNo5870.7
Yes2226.8
Unknown22.4
Vitamin D deficiencyNo6376.8
Yes1720.7
Unknown22.4
UltrasonographyNegative4251.2
Positive2429.3
Unknown1619.5
Table 2 Comparison of characteristics according to persistence of villous atrophy
Characteristics
Category
No villous atrophy (n = 63)
Villous atrophy (n = 19)
n (%)n (%)P value
GenderFemale52 (82.5)15 (78.9)0.741
Male11 (17.5)4 (21.1)
Follow-up biopsyLess than 2 years10 (15.9)1 (5.3)0.147
Two years and more53 (84.1)17 (89.5)
Unknown0 (0.0)1 (5.3)
Mean (SD)Mean (SD)P value
Length of disease at follow-up biopsy (yr)7.9 (8.2)13.1 (13.4)0.092
Age at follow-up biopsy (yr)32.3 (14.6)38.7 (24.4)0.231
Table 3 Comparison of autoantibodies´ positivity, ultrasonography, laboratory and clinical markers in patients with and without villous atrophy, in groups with available parameters
CharacteristicsCategoriesVillous atrophy
Yes (%)No (%)P value
Autoantibodies aTTG (n = 81)Positive9 (50)9 (14.3)0.003b
Negative9 (50)54 (85.7)
Total18 (100)63 (100)
Autoantibodies aDGP (n = 78)Positive14 (77.8)15 (25)< 0.001b
Negative4 (22.2)45 (75)
Total18 (100)60 (100)
Autoantibodies aTTG IgA (n = 81)Positive9 (50)2 (3.2)< 0.001b
Negative9 (50)61 (96.8)
Total18 (100)63 (100)
Autoantibodies aTTG IgG (n = 81)Positive1 (5.6)7 (11.1)0.677
Negative17 (94.4)56 (88.9)
Total18 (100)63 (100)
Autoantibodies aDGP IgA (n = 78)Positive13 (72.2)11 (18.3)< 0.001b
Negative5 (27.8)49 (81.7)
Total18 (100)60 (100)
Autoantibodies aDGP IgG (n = 78)Positive11 (61.1)9 (15)< 0.001b
Negative7 (38.9)51 (85)
Total18 (100)60 (100)
Ultrasonography (n = 66)Positive11 (64.7)13 (26.5)0.008b
Negative6 (35.3)36 (73.5)
Total17 (100)49 (100)
Diarrhea (n = 81)Yes8 (44.4)11 (17.5)0.027a
No10 (55.6)52 (82.5)
Total18 (100)63 (100)
Yes4 (22.2)4 (6.4)0.068
Weight loss (n = 81)No14 (77.8)59 (93.6)
Total18 (100)63 (100)
Abdominal pain (n = 81)Yes3 (16.7)14 (22.2)0.751
No15 (83.3)49 (77.8)
Total18 (100)63 (100)
Anemia (n = 80)Positive1 (5.6)8 (12.9)0.676
Negative17 (94.4)54 (87.1)
Total18 (100)62 (100)
Sideropenia (n = 80)Positive4 (22.2)18 (29)0.766
Negative14 (77.8)44 (71)
Total18 (100)62 (100)
Vitamin D deficiency (n = 80)Positive8 (44.4)9 (14.5)0.018a
Negative10 (55.6)53 (85.5)
Total18 (100)62 (100)
Table 4 Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies and anti-deamidated gliadin peptide antibodies autoantibodies (with standard cutoff values according to laboratory references 18 U/mL for anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies and 20 U/mL for anti-deamidated gliadin peptide antibodies) for prediction of villous atrophy in patients with celiac disease
CharacteristicsSensitivity (%) (95%CI)Specificity (%) (95%CI)Accuracy (%) (95%CI)Positive predictive value (%) (95%CI)Negative predictive value (%) (95%CI)
Autoantibodies aTTG50.0 (26.0-74.0)85.7 (74.6-93.3)77.8 (67.2-86.3)50.0 (31.8-68.2)85.7 (78.9-90.6)
Autoantibodies aDGP77.8 (52.4-93.6)75.0 (62.1-85.3)75.6 (64.6-84.7)48.3 (36.1-60.7)91.8 (82.4-96.4)
Autoantibodies aTTG IgA50.0 (26.0-74.0)96.8 (89.0-99.6)86.4 (77.0-93.0)81.8 (51.6-95.0)87.1 (81.0-91.5)
Autoantibodies aTTG IgG5.6 (0.1-27.3)88.9 (78.4-95.4)70.4 (59.2-80.0)12.5 (1.8-52.1)76.7 (74.1-79.2)
Autoantibodies aDGP IgA72.2 (46.5-90.3)81.7 (69.6-90.5)79.5 (68.8-87.8)54.2 (39.2-68.4)90.7 (82.2-95.4)
Autoantibodies aDGP IgG61.1 (35.8-82.7)85.0 (73.4-92.9)79.5 (68.8-87.8)55.0 (37.6-71.2)87.9 (80.2-92.9)
Table 5 Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of recalculated cutoff values of anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies and anti-deamidated gliadin peptide antibodies autoantibodies titers and their combination with small bowel ultrasonography for prediction of villous atrophy in patients with celiac disease
CharacteristicsSensitivity (%) (95%CI)Specificity (%) (95%CI)Accuracy (%) (95%CI)Positive predictive value (%) (95%CI)Negative predictive value (%) (95%CI)
Autoantibodies aTTG IgA (cutoff: 13.4)66.7 (41.0-86.7)93.7 (84.5-98.2)87.7 (78.5-93.9)75.0 (52.4-89.1)90.8 (83.6-95.0)
Autoantibodies aTTG IgG (cutoff: 6.7)33.3 (13.3-59.0)87.3 (76.5-94.4)75.3 (64.5-84.2)42.9 (23.0-65.3)82.1 (76.5-86.6)
Autoantibodies aDGP IgA (cutoff: 22.6)72.2 (46.5-90.3)90.0 (79.5-96.2)85.9 (76.2-92.7)68.4 (49.1-83.0)91.5 (83.6-95.8)
Autoantibodies aDGP IgG (cutoff: 28.8)61.1 (35.8-82.7)90.0 (79.5-96.2)83.3 (73.2-90.8)64.7 (44.1-81.0)88.5 (81.1-93.3)
Autoantibodies aTTG IgA (cutoff 13.4) AND ultrasonography47.1 (23.0-72.2)98.0 (89.2-99.9)84.9 (73.9-92.5)88.9 (51.9-98.3)84.2 (77.3-89.3)
Autoantibodies aDGP IgA (cutoff 22.6) AND ultrasonography52.9 (27.8-77.0)97.8 (88.5-99.9)85.7 (74.6-93.3)90.0 (55.2-98.5)84.9 (77.2-90.3)
Table 6 Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of bowel ultrasonography, clinical and laboratory markers for prediction of villous atrophy in patients with celiac disease
CharacteristicsSensitivity (%) (95%CI)Specificity (%) (95%CI)Accuracy (%) (95%CI)Positive predictive value (%) (95%CI)Negative predictive value (%) (95%CI)
Ultrasonography64.7 (38.3-85.8)73.5 (58.9-85.1)71.2 (58.8-81.7)45.8 (32.1-60.3)85.7 (75.5-92.1)
Diarrhea44.4 (21.5-69.2)82.5 (70.9-91.0)74.1 (63.1-83.2)42.1 (25.7-60.5)83.9 (77.2-88.9)
Weight loss22.2 (6.4-47.6)93.7 (84.5-98.2)77.8 (67.2-86.3)50.0 (21.7-78.3)80.8 (76.6-84.5)
Abdominal pain16.7 (3.6-41.4)77.8 (65.5-87.3)64.2 (52.8-74.6)17.7 (6.5-39.9)76.6 (71.9-80.7)
Anemia5.6 (0.1-27.3)87.1 (76.2-94.3)68.8 (57.4-78.7)11.1 (1.6-48.3)76.1 (73.3-78.6)
Sideropenia22.2 (6.4-47.6)71.0 (58.1-81.8)60.0 (48.4-70.8)18.2 (7.9-36.4)75.9 (70.1-80.8)
Vitamin D deficiency44.4 (21.5-69.2)85.5 (74.2-93.1)76.3 (65.4-85.1)47.1 (28.7-66.3)84.1 (77.6-89.0)