Celiac disease in Algeria: emergence and fate in adulthood

Over the years, the clinical expression of celiac disease has changed significantly. Diarrhea is less predominant: its frequency has dropped from 90% of symptoms at diagnosis during the period 1979-1983 to less than 70% during the period 2004-2008. Conversely, the frequency of statural delay rose from 23% in 1999-2003 to 35% in 2004-2008.Celiac disease has progressively evolved from a rare digestive disease of infants to a frequent systemic disease affecting all stages of life.Its validated symptomatic incidence in the wilaya of Oran alone is 2.5 ± 1.3 per 1,000 live births. This incidence is probably underestimated due to the absence of prospective sero-epidemiological studies based on active screening using serological markers in the general population.In our context, this growing incidence warrants precise knowledge of the clinical, biological and histological profile of young celiac patients, as well as their long-term outcome.With the kind contribution of: Pr TOUHAMI MAHMOUD, Pr BOUDRAA GHAZALIA.