Ultra-short celiac disease

Ultra-short celiac disease is defined as villous atrophy present only in the duodenal bulb with concomitant positive celiac serology. In this first international multicenter study of this specific form of celiac disease, 137 patients were included, with a median age of 27 years, and their data compared with those of matched patients with conventional celiac disease. Patients were younger than the median age of diagnosis of conventional celiac disease. Tissue transglutaminase immunoglobulin A titers were lower in patients with ultrashort celiac disease, compared with conventional celiac disease. Iron deficiency was less prevalent in patients with ultrashort celiac disease.