Last month, the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology published the findings of Finnish investigators who observed the presence of antigliadin antibodies (AGA) in elderly patients. The study aimed to determine whether a clinical relevance exists in elderly patients with positive AGA.

The investigators’ findings confirmed the well-researched fact that patients positive for AGA seldom have celiac disease. Interestingly, the study also concluded that depression and rheumatoid arthritis–conditions both linked to celiac disease–were more common in individuals with a positive AGA than those with a negative AGA. Further research is still needed to determine whether there is reason to conduct AGA testing in patients other than solely looking for celiac disease.

The full article can be downloaded online.