Value of routine duodenal mucosal biopsies in the evaluation of anemia in a large Australian referral centre.

Only 2% of patients with unexplained anemia had abnormal SBBx consistent with celiac disease and even fewer patients in non-IDA. Given the availability and high sensitivity of celiac serology and macroscopic changes on endoscopy, SBBx should not be routine during endoscopy but should be limited to those with positive celiac serology, abnormal endoscopic appearance, or females with IDA.