Coeliac disease: a potentially treatable health problem of Saharawi refugee children

• Published in: Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2001, Vol.79 (6), p.542-545
• Main Authors: Rätsch, Ilse-Maria, Catassi, Carlo
• Format: Article
• Language: eng ; por
• Subjects: Africa; Algeria; Celiac disease/ethnology; Child; Diet/adverse effects; Health Policy & Services; Health status; Northern; Refugees
• ISSN: 0042-9686
• DOI: 10.1590/S0042-96862001000600010

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the clinical and nutritional impact of coeliac disease (gluten-sensitive enteropathy) among Saharawi children living as refugees in Algeria. METHODS: A total of 65 Saharawi children with coeliac disease were compared with 71 age-matched non-coeliac controls. For each participant, the clinical history was taken and a clinical examination, non-quantitative 24-hour dietary recall, anthropometric and skinfold measurements, bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) of body composition, and venous blood sampling for haemoglobin determination were performed. RESULTS: Gluten-containing food, especially bread, was the staple diet of Saharawi children. Abdominal pain and distension were significantly commoner among children with coeliac disease than in controls ( P < 0.05). The mean height-for-age was significantly lower in such children than in controls (-2.5 + 1.4 units vs -1.8 + 1.3 units, respectively, P < 0.01). No significant differences were found for either skinfold or BIA measurements. Haemoglobin values tended to be lower in children with coeliac disease than in controls. CONCLUSIONS: Coeliac disease has a negative effect on the health status of Saharawi refugee children. Because of the high prevalence of the condition in the Saharawi, a specific programme for treating all affected individuals should be established. Further studies are required to quantify the impact of coeliac disease in other areas of the developing world.