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World J Gastroenterol. Nov 14, 2014; 20(42): 15830-15836
Published online Nov 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i42.15830
Published online Nov 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i42.15830
Seroprevalence of celiac disease among United Arab Emirates healthy adult nationals: A gender disparity
Yousif A Abu-Zeid, Department of Biology, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi AE-AZ, United Arab Emirates
Waheeba S Jasem, Ambulatory Healthcare Services, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, Abu Dhabi AE-AZ, United Arab Emirates
Benjamin Lebwohl, Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, United States
Peter H Green, Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, United States
Gehad ElGhazali, Mafraq Hospital and Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi AE-AZ, United Arab Emirates
Author contributions: Abu-Zeid YA designed the study, performed the statistical analyses, interpreted the data and wrote the manuscript; Jasem WS did the sampling, data collection and the laboratory analysis and contributed in data analysis and writing; Green PH critically revised the article and contributed in interpretation of data; Lebwohl B reviewed the article and critically evaluated the employed statistical methods; ElGhazali G contributed in the design and provided critical insights in the writing of the manuscript.
Supported by Research Affairs at the United Arab Emirates University, grant No. 03-04-2-11/08
Correspondence to: Yousif A Abu-Zeid, Associate Professor of Immunology, Department of Biology, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, P O Box 15551 Al Ain, Abu Dhabi AE-AZ, United Arab Emirates. youssefa@uaeu.ac.ae
Telephone: +971-3-7136517 Fax: +971-3-7134927
Received: February 24, 2014
Revised: May 10, 2014
Accepted: May 25, 2014
Published online: November 14, 2014
Processing time: 265 Days and 21.9 Hours
Revised: May 10, 2014
Accepted: May 25, 2014
Published online: November 14, 2014
Processing time: 265 Days and 21.9 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: Celiac disease (CD) prevalence is unknown in United Arab Emirates. Screening for CD among adult Emiratis was done by using anti TtG antibodies and anti-endomysial antibodies (EMA) confirmed those positive. A structured interview was used to collect demographic data and clinical history. Eleven hundred ninety seven subjects were included in the study; the seroprevalence was 1:86 for all adults; 1:44 for women; 1:624 for men. Chronic anemia and being a woman independently associated significantly with CD seropositivity. To our knowledge, this is the first study on CD prevalence among Emiratis; reporting the highest gender difference in CD seroprevalence worldwide.