Logo image
Back
Vitamin B12, Folate, Iron, Ferritin, and Hemoglobin Levels at Diagnosis in Pediatric Celiac Disease: Associations with Clinical, Serological, and Histopathological Features
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Vitamin B12, Folate, Iron, Ferritin, and Hemoglobin Levels at Diagnosis in Pediatric Celiac Disease: Associations with Clinical, Serological, and Histopathological Features

Mehmet Önder, Özlem Bekem Soylu, Şafak Pelek, Duygu Demirtaş, Sevim Çakar, Gülin Erdemir Eren and Çiğdem Ömür Ecevit
Izmir Dr. Behçet Uz Çocuk Hastanesi dergisi
09/11/2026
DOI: 10.4274/jbuch.galenos.2026.44341
url
https://doi.org/10.4274/jbuch.galenos.2026.44341View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Objective Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic autoimmune disorder that results from an immune response to gliadin protein. The objective of this study was to identify the underlying causes and risk factors associated with micronutrient deficiencies at the time of diagnosis in children with CD. Method This retrospective cross-sectional study included 79 biopsy-proven celiac patients. Age, gender, age at diagnosis, body weight, height, body mass index (BMI), presenting symptoms, tissue transglutaminase IgA (tTGA), serum IgA levels, endoscopic histological findings (Marsh type, presence of Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection, presence of gastritis), B12, folic acid, iron, ferritin, hemoglobin levels were recorded. Results There was an inverse correlation between age at diagnosis and B12 levels (p=0.05). Anorexia was found to be associated with folic acid deficiency (p=0.01). A linear relationship was found between B12, folic acid levels and BMI (p=0.03, p=0.01, respectively). Patients with more severe endoscopic and histopathologic findings (Marsh type 3B and 3C) exhibited lower levels of folic acid and ferritin (p=0.04, p=0.00, respectively). There was no statistically significant association between HP infection and levels of vitamin B12, folic acid, iron, ferritin, and hemoglobin (p=0.5, p=0.72, p=0.96, p=0.34, p=0.47, respectively). Conclusion Our data suggest that B12 levels are independent of CD. Anorexia and low BMI values are related to low levels of B12 and folic acid. Ferritin levels were low in patients with high tTGA levels and both folic acid and ferritin levels decreased as the severity of villous atrophy increased.
 Celiac disease B12 folic acid micronutrient deficiency Helicobacter pylori

Details

Metrics

1 Record Views
Logo image