Coeliac disease is a lifelong condition with different clinical manifestations. To facilitate the diagnosis serolo- gical screening tests are used. The authors examined in 107 children aged 10 months to 17 years IgA antibodies against endomysium using a kit of Eurospital Co. (Eurospital SpA-Diagnostic division Trieste, Italia). At the time of serum sampling for antibodies also a bioptic examination was made of the small intestine using a Watson capsule under skiascopic control. 51 (47.7%) of the 107 children had positive antibodies against endomysium. All children with positive antibodies against endomysium had also a histological finding typical for coeliac disease. 39 (36.4%) of 107 children had negative antibodies against endomysium. 14 of them (8 children under 2 years) had a histological finding typical for coeliac disease despite the negative serological finding. Antiendomysial antibodies are a good screening marker of coeliac disease.

        Key words: coeliac disease, antiendomysial antibodies, jejunal mucosa