[Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in patients with malabsorption syndrome: comparative study with morphometric parameters].

The study of small bowel mucosa is routine in the study of patients with malabsorption. We report 16 children aged from 8 months to 6 years old (2 with giardiasis, 8 with primary malnutrition and 5 with celiac disease) in whom a morphometric and PCNA immunostaining was performed in the small intestinal biopsy. Positivity for PCNA was found in the lower portion of the crypts reaching 156 microns of heigh in patients with giardiasis, 103 microns in primary malnutrition and 182 microns in celiac disease (p < 0.01 compared to primary malnutrition). A negative and significant correlation was found between the degree of architectural disorder (expressed the mucosal index) and the proliferative portion of the crypts (expressed as the percentage of PCNA(+) crypts. We propose these methods as complements to the small bowel mucosa histopathological study in the diagnosis of celiac disease, to assess the degree of architectural disorder and the proliferative activity.