PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Mallas, E G AU - Williamson, N AU - Cooper, B T AU - Cooke, W T TI - IgA class reticulin antibodies in relatives of patients with coeliac disease. AID - 10.1136/gut.18.8.647 DP - 1977 Aug 01 TA - Gut PG - 647--650 VI - 18 IP - 8 4099 - http://gut.bmj.com/content/18/8/647.short 4100 - http://gut.bmj.com/content/18/8/647.full SO - Gut1977 Aug 01; 18 AB - IgA class reticulin antibodies were not found in patients with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and hiatus hernia despite a significant incidence of IgG class reticulin antibodies. None of 56 normal healthy subjects was positive. In contrast, 13 (76%) of the sera from 17 patients with coeliac disease on normal diet were positive for IgA class antibodies as were 19 (20%) of 93 first degree relatives. Seventy-three relatives underwent jejunal biopsy. Grade III (flat) histology was found in 13 and, of these patients, 10 (77%) showed IgA class reticulin antibody in their serum. It is suggested that determination of IgA class reticulin antibodies was a useful test to determine which relative must be biopsied.