TY - JOUR T1 - Coeliac disease and primary biliary cirrhosis: a case for mutual screening JF - Gut JO - Gut SP - 9 LP - 9 DO - 10.1136/gut.42.1.9-b VL - 42 IS - 1 AU - J METCALF Y1 - 1998/01/01 UR - http://gut.bmj.com/content/42/1/9.2.abstract N2 - See article on page120 The paper by Kingham and Parker (see page 120) provides a strong take home message regarding the importance of establishing associations between diseases which, although relatively rare, have an impact on the health of a relatively young population. The authors have demonstrated an association between the two disorders and suggest that patients with one disease should be tested for the other. Is this advice justified?Justification for such targeted screening depends on three things: the robustness of the association; the simplicity and reliability of the diagnostic tests; and the evidence that early detection benefits the patient.The study aims to make a rigorous assessment of the previously described association between coeliac disease and primary biliary cirrhosis,1 and establish relative prevalences of the two diseases. Gastroenterologists in South Wales have kept a register of specifically defined gastrointestinal diseases since 1984, using ICD coding from all in- and outpatient and day case attendances in the department of gastroenterology. The population under study is accurately defined by use of postcode and ONS statistics. These show a relatively stable population of approximately 250 000 individuals (only 0.2% population growth and little migration or immigration). Multiple case finding methods are used to identify all possible cases of each disease and inclusion … ER -