[Celiac disease. Is its clinical pattern changing?].

Celiac disease (CD) is one of the most malabsorption syndromes in Pediatrics, its diagnosis being based on peroral intestinal biopsy. During the period 1974-1988 we have studied 178 patients with the suspected diagnosis of CD: diagnosis was confirmed in 117 whereas 22 are still under study. Mean age of the patients was 22.5 +/- 22.7 months, diagnosis being made during the first year of life in 32.6% of cases. Most cases had a classic clinical onset, although over the last year symptoms seen to be less apparent. Several patients presented with atypical forms. Also, associated diseases are observed in several cases. CD is often presented nowadays with few or atypical symptoms of difficult diagnosis and in this context the use of immunologic markers may be specially helpful.