Does every short stature child need screening for celiac disease?

Abstract

AIM: To study the etiological profile of short stature at a tertiary care hospital in north India. METHODS: In this prospective study, 176 children with short stature were enrolled from January 2005 to December 2006. Appropriate screening and definitive tests were performed to establish the etiology of short stature. RESULTS: Celiac disease (CD) emerged as the single most common (15.3%) cause of short stature, followed by various endocrine disorders. It was interesting to note that none of the CD patients presented with gastrointestinal symptoms. CONCLUSION: All short children should be screened for CD irrespective of gastrointestinal symptoms.