Prevalence and associated factors of abnormal liver values in children with celiac disease.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence and factors associated with transaminasemia in celiac disease are poorly known.

AIMS: To investigate these issues in paediatric celiac patients and controls.

METHODS: Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was studied in 150 children with untreated celiac disease, 161 disease controls and 500 population-based controls. The association between ALT and clinical and histological variables and the effect of a gluten-free diet were investigated in celiac patients.

RESULTS: ALT was >30U/l: celiac disease 14.7%, ulcerative colitis 37.2%, Crohn's disease 16.7%, reflux disease 16.2%, functional gastrointestinal symptoms 8.9%, and controls 3.6%. Factors associated with increased ALT were poor growth (45.5% vs 24.2%, P=0.039) and severe villous atrophy (median 23.0U/l vs partial atrophy 19.0U/l, P=0.008), but not age, sex, body-mass index, type or severity of symptoms and co-morbidities. ALT had a moderate correlation with endomysial (r=0.334, P<0.001) and transglutaminase antibodies (r=0.264, P=0.002) and ferritin (r=-0.225, P=0.03), but not with other laboratory values. On gluten-free diet median ALT decreased from 22.0U/l to 18.0U/l (P=0.002) and 80% of the high values normalized.

CONCLUSION: Increased ALT is associated with more advanced serological and histological celiac disease. Adherence to a gluten-free diet appears to result in normalization or reduction of ALT levels.