Coeliac disease: to screen or not to screen, that is the question

An appropriate strategy is to test patients with symptoms and signs attributable to coeliac disease

In recent years, knowledge about coeliac disease (CD) has improved significantly, and we now have a better understanding of the diagnosis and pathogenesis of the disease. In this issue of the Journal Chin and colleagues report the largest community study of CD undertaken in Australia.1 The study found a prevalence of CD of between 0.56% and 0.96%,1 similar to prevalences found in European population studies. A recent population-based serological study (without biopsy) in the United States found a prevalence of 0.95%.2