Serum I‐<scp>FABP</scp> as marker for enterocyte damage in coeliac disease and its relation to villous atrophy and circulating autoantibodies

Abstract

Enterocyte damage assessed by serum I-FABP correlates with the severity of villous atrophy in coeliac disease at the time of diagnosis. Although enterocyte damage improves upon treatment, substantial enterocyte damage persists despite absence of villous atrophy and low IgA-tTG levels in the majority of cases. Elevated I-FABP levels nonresponding to gluten-free diet are indicative of histological abnormalities and warrant further evaluation.