Cutaneous Manifestations in Children with Celiac Disease

Abstract

Background: Skin manifestations are significant extra-intestinal symptoms of celiac disease (CD), and dermatologic disorders are more prevalent among CD patients than in the normal population. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the skin manifestations in children with CD. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on patients under 18 years with CD registered at the Celiac Registry Center, Golestan Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, between April and July 2023. Participants were examined by a dermatologist attending the research center as scheduled. The skin manifestations were categorized according to their types, location, duration, and distribution. All data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 to show central and distributive indices. Quantitative data were reported as mean (standard deviation), and categorical data were reported as number and percent. Results: A total of 39 children (53.8% female) were included in the study. The mean (SD) age of the patients was 9.84 (4.41) years. The mean (SD) duration of disease and initiation of the gluten-free diet (GFD) was 4.24 (2.64) years. Thirty-seven (94.8%) children had at least one lesion, with the most common locations being the face (16.8%) and limbs (14.4%). In examining the course of the disease, 96.4% of the patients had a chronic course, and in 15.5% of them, the distribution was symmetric. The most frequent types among 83 cutaneous findings were dry skin (20.4%), pityriasis alba (15.6%), and keratosis pilaris (12%). Conclusion: Most children with CD experienced skin problems. The small sample size, lack of a validated scale for adherence to GFD, and absence of a healthy control group limited the generalizability of the findings.