Biopsies unnecessary for the majority of childhood coeliac diagnoses
The European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) has issued new guidance to physicians on the diagnosis of coeliac disease in children, recommending the no-biopsy approach at diagnosis for the majority of children suspected of having the disease.
The new guidelines recommend that testing for specific antibodies should be performed as initial screening in children with suspected coeliac disease.
They also suggest asymptomatic children can be diagnosed without the need for a biopsy, and the decision on whether to perform a diagnostic biopsy should be made as a shared decision between clinicians and parents, and where appropriate, with the child too.
For more info, visit www.espghan.info/advice-guides