Evaluation and treatment of celiac disease in the central and south of Iraq

Abstract

Aim: To estimate the differences between patients with celiac disease based on symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study carried out between July 1, 2022 and April 2023, enrolling 200 patients from different provinces of central and south Iraq with Celia disease, whose diagnosis depended on a specialized physician according to WHO guidelines with long-term follow-up. Participants were following up for three to six months in private clinics. Survey was written in English, and the questionnaire form contains 13 fields divided into three sections. Diagnosis of Celia before and after treatment parameters: Tissue Transglutaminase Antibody, IgG, Serum (tTg-Ig G), and tTg-IgA levels the fourth part included a glutin-free diet and symptomatic treatment. Results: Females and ages below 20 were most affected. 176(88%) patients had detectable tTG levels; after 3 months, 72(36.0%) patients had an increase in their body weight but less than 5 kg, while 14(7.0%) of the patients showed an increase of more than 5 kg. But after 6 months, 73(36.5%) patients had an increase in their body weight less than 5 kg, while 45(22.5%) of patients showed an increase of more than 5 kg. Conclusions: Celiac patient profile in central Iraq is not different from that in other parts of the world, with typical patient being female and under 30 years of age. The study highlighted to a certain degree that a gluten-free diet can have a modest and promising positive impact on BMI in some patients.