Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis amongst children having Celiac disease.

Abstract

Objectives: Relationship amongst celiac disease (CD) and lung diseases has been discussed in the past. Studies have documented that CD is linked with lung diseases. CD has also been described to complement asthma. This study was planned to document the prevalence of asthma as well as allergic rhinitis in confirmed cases of CD and conducted pulmonary function testing in children aged 5 to 16 years while comparing them with controls. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Setting: Department of Pediatrics Medicine, Children Hospital Chandka Medical College / Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University, Larkana. Period: From 1^st January 2018 to 30^th June 2018. Material & Methods: We enrolled 50 confirmed cases of CD along with 100 controls with non specific abdominal pain. All were aged 6 to 16 years, of both genders. Demographics as well as questions related to asthma and allergic rhinitis were noted. Results: Amongst a total of 150 children, 61 (40.7%) male and 89 (59.3%) female. Overall mean age amongst children was 9.80 years with standard deviation of 2.6 years. A total of 40 (26.7%) children who had weight below the 3^rd percentile while 36 (24.0%) had height below the 3rd percentile. Most children, 82 (54.7%) had normal BMI. Weight below the 3^rd percentile and height below the 3^rd percentile were of statistical significance as children with a weight and height below the 3rd percentile were significantly higher in the CD group (P = 0.026 and P = 0.005, respectively). Asthma and allergic rhinitis characteristics were not much different between the two groups (p > 0.05). The Pulmonary function test (PFT) results showed that 7 (14.0%) cases with CD and 12 (12.0%) controls had obstructive pulmonary changes (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Rates of Asthma and allergic rhinitis in children having CD were not significantly higher in comparison to controls. No linkage between asthma and allergic rhinitis symptoms was seen children having CD.