The Use of Biopsy and “No-Biopsy” Approach for Diagnosing Paediatric Coeliac Disease in the Central European Region

Table 2

Clinical presentation (with or without symptoms and signs of malabsorption) and diagnostic approach of children with CD. In the group of patients who underwent duodenal biopsy, signs and symptoms of malabsorption were slightly more common in those who would have been eligible for the “no-biopsy” approach (67.8% vs 59.6%; NS). There were no significant differences in clinical presentation between children, diagnosed using “no-biopsy” approach and those who underwent duodenal biopsy but would have been eligible (by the ULN) for the “no-biopsy” approach (72.0% vs 67.8%; NS). However, signs and symptoms of malabsorption were significantly more common in patients who were diagnosed using “no-biopsy” approach in comparison to those that were not eligible for the “no-biopsy” approach (72.0% vs 59.6%; ).

	“No-biopsy” approach	Duodenal biopsy
		Eligible for “no-biopsy”	Not eligible for “no-biopsy”
Malabsorptive (% within group)	77^# (72.0%)	145 (67.8%)	118^# (59.6%)
Non-malabsorptive (% within group)	30 (28.0%)	69 (32.2%)	80 (40.4%)
Number of patients	107	214	198

Eligible by ULN. ^# “no-biopsy” vs not eligible for the “no-biopsy” group.