Celiac Disease Awareness
What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease is a multi-system disorder caused by
the body's immune system reacting to the proteins
of wheat, rye and barley. The immune reaction
damages the lining of the small intestine. When
people with CD eat foods that contain gluten, it
creates an immune-mediated toxic reaction that
causes damage to the small intestine and does not
allow the food to be properly absorbed.
Is Celiac Disease a common condition?
Celiac was thought to be a rare childhood syndrome.
However, it is now known to be much more common.
More than 2 million people in the United States
have the disease, about 1 in 133 people. Among
people who have a first-degree relative - a parent,
sibling, or child diagnosed with CD, as many as 1
in 22 people may have the disease.
What are the symptoms?
Many individuals with celiac disease have little in
the way of gastrointestinal symptoms or may receive
a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome. While the
classic symptoms include diarrhea, weight loss and
edema, other patients present with constipation,
anemia, bone pain or bone loss, chronic fatigue,
skin problems, abnormal liver chemistries, dental
enamel defects and neurological symptoms such as
peripheral neuropathy, ataxia or seizures. Some
patients with celiac disease are asymptomatic or
have symptoms related to an associated autoimmune
problem.
How is Celiac Diagnosed?
It can be difficult to recognize CD because it
shares common symptoms with several other diseases.
It can be confused with IBS (irritable bowel
syndrome), diverticulitis, intestinal infections,
and chronic fatigue, as well as several other
diseases.
According to the CD Center at Columbia University:
“The gold standard for diagnosis is the small intestinal biopsy, done during a procedure called endoscopy. The diagnosis is based on finding a series of abnormalities in an intestinal biopsy (increased inflammation and villous atrophy) that return toward normal on a gluten-free diet. As a follow up biopsy is not always necessary or performed, the combination of an abnormal biopsy and improvement of symptoms after gluten is eliminated from the diet is enough to establish the diagnosis. Blood tests that indicate higher than normal levels of specific antibodies are also used to support the diagnosis, but positive antibodies are not required to make the diagnosis.
A gluten-free diet should not be started until all diagnostic tests are completed, as the withdrawal of gluten can change test results. The recommendation by physicians, nutritionists, naturopaths and osteopaths to try a gluten-free diet as a trial of therapy for gastrointestinal symptoms, without biopsy confirmation of the diagnosis, should be discouraged.”
According to the CD Center at Columbia University:
“The gold standard for diagnosis is the small intestinal biopsy, done during a procedure called endoscopy. The diagnosis is based on finding a series of abnormalities in an intestinal biopsy (increased inflammation and villous atrophy) that return toward normal on a gluten-free diet. As a follow up biopsy is not always necessary or performed, the combination of an abnormal biopsy and improvement of symptoms after gluten is eliminated from the diet is enough to establish the diagnosis. Blood tests that indicate higher than normal levels of specific antibodies are also used to support the diagnosis, but positive antibodies are not required to make the diagnosis.
A gluten-free diet should not be started until all diagnostic tests are completed, as the withdrawal of gluten can change test results. The recommendation by physicians, nutritionists, naturopaths and osteopaths to try a gluten-free diet as a trial of therapy for gastrointestinal symptoms, without biopsy confirmation of the diagnosis, should be discouraged.”
What is the treatment for Celiac Disease?
The treatment for celiac disease is for the patient
to follow a strict gluten-free diet.
How can I find a support group?
Where can I get more information?
- Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University
- University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research
- Wm K Warren Medical Research Center for Celiac Disease at UC San Diego
To view a recent lecture on Celiac Disease
presented by the Research Center:
Available to view on
YouTube
UCSD TV - Website
Testing At Home
Enterolab offers a variety of testing options. For
more information, check out their website at
www.enterolab.com