Abstract
Objective: To determine the frequency of different haematological manifestations in childhood celiac disease. Study Design: Cross sectional descriptive study. Place & Duration of Study: Department of hematology and transfusion medicine, of The Children’s Hospital and the Institute of Child Health, Lahore, from January 2011 to December 2011. Methodology: 70 children of both sexes in age group of 1-12 years diagnosed with celiac disease on small intestine biopsy having characteristic intestinal mucosal changes based on Modified Marsh criteria were included. Investigations performed were CBC (complete blood count), PT and APTT to determine anemia, thrombocytosis, leucopenia and coagulopathy respectively. For anemic patients, serum iron, serum ferritin, serum & red cell folate & serum vitamin B12 were done. Qualitative variables including gender; anemia, thrombocytosis, leucopenia, coagulopathy, iron deficiency and folate & vitamin B12 deficiency are presented by frequency and percentage while quantitative, age, is described as mean and standard deviation (SD). Results: Out of 70 celiac children, 39 were male and 31 were female with mean age of 8.17+2.8 years. Anemia presented in 24.2%, thrombocytosis in 2.85%, coagulopathy in 1.42% and leucopenia in 2.85% cases as a single haematological manifestation. 57.1% cases had anemia and thrombocytosis at the same time. The overall frequency of anemia was found to be 92.8%, thrombocytosis 64.2%, leucopenia 10% and coagulopathy 5.71%. 80% of anemic patients had iron deficiency. 59 patients had type 3 Marsh disease with majority of them presented with anemia and thrombocytosis. Conclusion: Anemia was the most frequent haematological manifestation in childhood celiac disease which was mostly found in coexistence with thrombocytosis. Iron deficiency was found to be the main cause of anemia in these patients.
