Deamidated Gliadin Peptide (DGP)

Deamidated gliadin peptides (DGPs) are a new test for antibodies against gliadin and are being used with increased frequency for screening for Celiac Disease in the U.S. and Europe. A group of Italian researchers recently studied the utility of using DGP IgG antibodies to screen for Celiac Disease in children under the age of 2. They found that 100% of children under the age of 2 with biopsy-proven Celiac Disease had abnormally high DGP IgG antibodies on blood testing. They also found that DGP antibodies were abnormally high in 4 toddlers who had malabsorption (diarrhea) but who did not have a biopsy consistent with Celiac Disease. One of the 4 children with an abnormal DGP did have mild villous blunting and eventually developed Celiac Disease. The other 3 children with diarrhea and elevated DGPs all had the genes that predispose to Celiac Disease. They plan to follow these 3 children closely for the development of Celiac Disease.