A significant increase in anthropometric indices during long-term follow-up of pediatric patients with celiac disease, with no endocrine disorders

Celiac disease (CeD) is likely to be associated with growth impairment and poor weight gain. However, long-term growth patterns following diagnosis are poorly characterized. We evaluated long-term anthropometric changes in a large cohort of pediatric patients with CeD. A retrospective chart review of patients diagnosed with CeD between 1999 and 2018 was conducted. Demographic and clinical data were collected, and anthropometrics were analyzed from diagnosis and throughout follow-up. The study included 500 patients (59.8% females, median (IQR) age at diagnosis 5.7 (3.7–8.9) years), with a mean follow-up of 5.5 (range 1.5–16.2) years. Weight, height, and BMI Z-score-for-age (WAZ, HAZ, and BMIZ) increased significantly from a mean (± SD) of − 0.82 (± 1.21), − 0.73 (± 1.16), and − 0.32 (± 1.11) at diagnosis to − 0.41 (± 1.23), − 0.45(± 1.16), and − 0.17 (± 1.14) at last follow-up, respectively (p < 0.001 for WAZ and HAZ and p = 0.002 for BMIZ). The largest improvements were observed in patients diagnosed before 3 years of age (p < 0.01). Patients for whom the final adult height was available (n = 86) improved from HAZ mean (± SD) − 0.89 ± 1.37 at diagnosis to − 0.51 ± 1.28 at adulthood measurement, p < 0.05. Wasting was present in 19.7% and stunting in 16.4% of the cohort at diagnosis and normalized in 77.3% and 64.8%, respectively, within a median (IQR) time of 0.79 (0.42–4.24) and 2.3 (0.72–6.02) years, respectively. Gluten-free diet adherence and frequency of visits were not associated with normalization of wasting or stunting in all age groups.

  Conclusion: Over a long-term follow-up, pediatric patients with CeD demonstrate significant increases in weight, height, and BMI-for-age. Younger age at diagnosis is associated with greater improvement in weight and linear growth, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis of CeD.