[Study of serum antibody antigliadin of the immunoglobulin-A class in celiac disease].

Serum antigliadin IfA class antibodies (AAG-IgA) were measured by ELISA assay in 65 children into three groups. Group I consisted of 20 control children; Group II of 31 celiac patients on different treatment periods (P1, on a normal diet; P2, after sixth month on gluten-free diet; P3, one three years of treatment and P4, three years and one month to nine years of treatment) and Group III of 14 food hypersensitivity patients. IgA-deficiency was ruled out in all patients. Positivity was considered for titers > 30.3 UA obtained from controls. The AAG-IgA titer was positive in 9 of 10 celiac patients on P1. Nine of these 10 patients were tested on P2; all cases showed a decrease in the AAG-IGA level and a significant difference was observed between the mean values for P1 and P2; although seven patients had maintained positive titers. On P3 and P4 all patients had AAG-IGa negative levels. On P1 the AAG-IGA liter levels were significantly higher than the values for P2, P3 and P4. The AAG-IgA values decreased towards control levels after one year of treatment. In Group III one out of 14 patients had a positive titer and the AAG-IgA values in this group were significantly lower than the celiac titers on P1 and P2 and no difference was found compared to patients titers on P3 and P4. The sensitivity of ELISA test was 90% and the specificity 93%. The AAG-IgA determination proved to be reliable for differentiating celiac disease from food hypersensitivity and useful in monitoring gluten-free diet compliance.