[Incidence of coeliac disease in children in Austria (author's transl)].

The incidence of coeliac disease in infants and children was estimated by the number of children born between 1 January 1969 and 31 December 1972 and the number of patients with coeliac disease born during the same period in the area served by the Kinderklinik Graz. The drainage area of the Kinderklinik Graz comprises 10.5% of the population of Austria and 11.1% of the children born in Austria during the period mentioned. The diagnostic criteria for coeliac disease includes evidence of intestinal malabsorption, a subtotal atrophy of the duodenojejunal mucosa and the demonstration of clinical and biochemical response to gluten withdrawal. In all patients born in 1972 a second biopsy was done after a period on gluten free diet and a third biopsy after reintroduction of gluten. The incidence of coeliac disease showed to be 1 in 496. The incidence for girls proved to be 1 in 403 and that for boys 1 in 636. These figures are in good correlation to that reported for Ireland and Switzerland but much higher than those estimated for Britain.