Information on Celiac Disease - Celiac Sprue (causes, signs, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment) produced by medical doctors specializing in gastroenterology

Font Size

« Previous
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Next »

Celiac Disease (cont.)

What is celiac disease?
What causes celiac disease?
What does celiac disease do to the small intestine?
What are the signs and symptoms of celiac disease?
How do symptoms of celiac disease differ with age of onset?
What is latent and silent celiac disease?
What diseases are associated with celiac disease?
How is celiac disease diagnosed?
Who should undergo antibody blood tests for celiac disease?
Why is it important to accurately diagnose celiac disease?
How are malabsorption and malnutrition evaluated in celiac disease?
What is the treatment of celiac disease?
What if patients fail to respond to gluten free diet?
What is refractory celiac disease?
What is the treatment for refractory celiac disease?
What are the complications of celiac disease?
Can cancer risk be reduced in celiac disease?
What's new in celiac disease?
Celiac Disease At A Glance
Patient Discussions: Celiac Disease - Symptoms at Onset of Disease
Celiac Disease Glossary
Celiac Disease Index

Who should undergo antibody blood tests for celiac disease?

Some experts recommend that antibody blood tests be used to screen healthy persons with no signs or symptoms for celiac disease. In Italy, where celiac disease is common, all children are screened for celiac disease. Experts in the United States do not recommend screening healthy persons for celiac disease. Antibody blood tests are only recommended for individuals with a higher likelihood than normal of having celiac disease. These patients are:

Patients with chronic diarrhea (diarrhea that does not resolve in three weeks), increased amount of fat in the stool (steatorrhea), and weight loss
Patients with excess gas, bloating, and abdominal distension
First and second degree relatives of patients who have celiac disease
Children with growth retardation
Patients with unexplained iron deficiency anemia
Patients with skin rashes suggestive of dermatitis herpetiformis
Patients with recurrent painful mouth sores (aphthous stomatitis)
Patients with disease known to be associated with celiac disease. Examples of these diseases include insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, autoimmune thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus, ulcerative colitis, etc.

Why is it important to accurately diagnose celiac disease?

Diagnosis of celiac disease should be firmly established before commencing treatment with a gluten free diet for several reasons.

The gluten free diet is a life-long and tedious commitment that should not be taken lightly. It is more costly than a normal diet and has significant social implications for dining out.
Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may experience improvements in bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea with a gluten free diet. These patients may be misdiagnosed as having celiac disease. Without confirmation of celiac disease by small intestinal biopsy, they may be unnecessarily committed to life-long gluten restriction.
A gluten free diet can lower blood antibody levels and allow the microscopic appearance of the small intestine to lose the typical appearance of celiac disease, complicating subsequent efforts at making a firm diagnosis of celiac disease.