Delayed celiac disease diagnosis predisposes to reduced quality of life and incremental use of health care services and medicines: A prospective nationwide study.

Background: Celiac disease is challenging to recognize, predisposing to long diagnostic delay. Currently, associated factors and significance of the delay remain obscure.

Objective: The objective of this article is to investigate associated sociodemographic risk factors and health consequences of diagnostic delay in celiac disease.

Methods: Altogether 611 patients were surveyed at diagnosis and after one year on a gluten-free diet regarding sociodemographic variables, well-being and use of medicines and health care services. Quality of life was measured by a validated Psychological General Well-Being (PGWB) questionnaire. The results were compared between patients with and without delayed (≥3 years) diagnosis.

Results: A total of 332 (54%) individuals reported a delay of ≥3 years. Associated with the delay were being a student or homemaker, but not gender, marital or occupational status, site of diagnosis or place of residence. Patients with the delay also had decreased self-perceived health and poorer PGWB scores compared to those without delay; in anxiety and general health this was seen even on a gluten-free diet. Days of sickness and doctor visits as well as use of drugs for dyspepsia and antidepressants were increased in the delay group both before and after diagnosis.

Conclusion: A delay in celiac disease diagnosis predisposes to reduced well-being and incremental use of medicines and health care services, both before diagnosis and one year after diagnosis.