Objective: We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the prevalence of celiac disease (CeD) among high-risk populations in China.
Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and four Chinese databases to identify studies published up to December 10, 2024 on the prevalence of CeD in different regions of China. The high-risk populations included patients with irritable bowel syndrome, gastrointestinal symptoms, autoimmune disease, low body mass index, short stature, etc. Data were extracted from the included studies by two reviewers independently using a standardized data extraction form. Regional prevalence estimates were weighted using China Population Census Yearbook 2020 data. The pooled prevalence of CeD was summarized using random-effects models.
Results: Twenty-eight studies involving 9531 individuals were included. Biopsy-confirmed prevalence and seroprevalence varied widely by region. Central China had the highest biopsy-confirmed prevalence of CeD in high-risk populations (4.55%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.66%–8.44%), followed by North China (3.60%, 95% CI 1.75%–6.08%) and East China (2.50%, 95% CI 1.39%–3.94%). Northeast China led in seroprevalence (7.10%, 95% CI 1.14%–13.05%), followed by Central China (4.42%, 95% CI 1.04%–9.98%), East China (4.37%, 95% CI 2.12%–7.38%), and North China (4.35%, 95% CI 2.39%–6.86%). The biopsy-confirmed prevalence and seroprevalence of CeD among high-risk populations in China were 3.69% and 4.43%, respectively.
Conclusion: CeD prevalence appears to be significant among high-risk populations and varies by geographical regions in China.
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