Anti-reticulin antibodies: a diagnostic and monitoring test for childhood coeliac disease.

The importance of anti-reticulin antibodies (ARA)--R1 pattern--has been evaluated as a diagnostic and monitoring test for childhood coeliac disease. A prospective study was performed in 140 patients: 68 children with coeliac disease, 32 with miscellaneous diarrhoea, and 40 controls. An indirect immunofluorescent test was used for ARA screening. The indirect correlation found in our study between the presence of ARA and coeliac disease in children on a normal diet and after gluten challenge and between the absence of ARA and coeliac disease in children on a gluten-free diet seems to be of value in the diagnosis of coeliac disease and in monitoring the response to treatment in coeliac disease children.