Abnormal pancreolauryl tests in coeliac disease: lack of correlation with the degree of intestinal mucosal damage

Abstract

Aims: To determine the frequency of abnormal pancreolauryl tests in untreated and treated adults with coeliac disease and to see whether abnormalities in treated coeliac patients correlate with the degree of recovery of intestinal morphology or brush border enzyme activity.

Methods: Pancreolauryl tests were performed in a study population of 57 adult coeliac patients (25 on gluten containing diets and 32 on gluten free diets), 59 symptomatic controls, and eight patients with pancreatic disease. Brush border enzyme activity and morphological assessment were performed on small intestinal biopsies in 27 of the treated coeliac patients.

Results: Forty per cent of untreated coeliac patients and 18% of treated coeliac patients had abnormal tests. In treated coeliac patients, no significant correlation was detected between the pancreolauryl test result and either brush border enzyme activity or morphological parameters.

Conclusion: Abnormal pancreolauryl test results are common in untreated and treated adult coeliac disease patients. Abnormalities in treated coeliac patients do not correlate with the degree of recovery of small intestinal morphology or brush border enzymes.