About
Celiac Disease
- is an auto-immune disease
- is common - Experts in the study of celiac disease
judge the prevalency rate to be from 1 in every 133 persons to
1 in every 250 persons in the United States. That means 2.2 million
people in the U.S. could be living with celiac disease.
- is a genetic, inheritable disease - 1 in 22 first-degree
relatives could develop CD in their lifetime.
- is underdiagnosed - Approximately 97% of persons who
have celiac disease in the U.S. are undiagnosed.
- is not age dependent - A person may be born with it,
or develop it at any age. Suspected triggers include stress,
trauma (surgeries, pregnancy, etc.) and viral infections.
- may be asymptomatic - 60% of children and 41% of adults
with celiac disease have no symtoms.
- has no cure - A life-long strict adherence to the gluten-free
diet must be followed.
The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Program further states:
- The average delay in diagnosis for a person with symptoms
is 11 years.
- On average, a child will visit 8 pediatricians before being
diagnosed with celiac disease.
Risk factors for celiac disease (besides family members) are listed on the Mayo Clinic website.
Diseases linked to celiac disease are discussed on an NIH website.
Associated Autoimmune Diseases are discussed on the GIG web site.
The ingestion of gluten (a protein in wheat, barley, and rye) causes
an autoimmune response that damages the small intestine. This, in
turn, causes the malabsorption of nutrients which can lead to many
different health problems and/or symptoms including:
| stomach upset |
diarrhea |
osteoporosis |
dental enamel problems |
| bloating |
distention |
migraines |
mind "fogginess" |
| indigestion/gas |
weight loss |
anemia |
irritability/
depression |
| poor growth in children |
foul-smelling or
grayish stools |
general weakness |
skin rash that lasts |
| bone & joint pain |
cancer |
miscarriages & infertility*
(see below) |
low vitamin levels - iron,
calcium, folate, B12 |
| constipation |
nausea |
fatigue |
malnutrition |
| muscle cramps |
tingling in legs and feet (neuropathy) |
mouth ulcers |
|
*To see articles concerning celiac disease and miscarriages and infertility, click here, and here (and click on "Winter 2008").
There are many more symptoms/problems that may be the result of
celiac disease. Furthermore, the symptoms of celiac disease vary
widely from person to person both in severity and which, if any,
symptoms. A person may have just one of the symptoms, many of
the symptoms, or have no overt symptoms. Often these symptoms
come and go, making it even more perplexing.
Complications from celiac disease are listed on the Mayo Clinic website and an NIH website.
Treatment for celiac disease is simple: a strict gluten-free diet
for life. There are no medications to take, and there is no cure
at this time. Vitamin and mineral supplements are often recommended
because of malabsorption issues.
Doctors in the United States are just beginning to recognize the
prevalence of celiac disease, thanks to many hard working groups
and individuals dedicated to this cause. A meeting of the National
Institute of Health in June, 2004 focused for the first time on
celiac disease. The results of the meeting have helped raise awareness
within the medical community on the issues of diagnosis and management
of celiac disease.
The following are just a few of the websites that give accurate,
up-to-date information about celiac disease. Many more informational
websites are listed in the Resource section. There are also many
books written in recent years that give accurate information on
celiac disease and it's treatment.
An article on the history of celiac disease can be found at http://www.celiacdisease.net/newsletter. It is in one of the newsletters put out by the Universtiy of Chicago Celiac Disease Program. Click on "Summer 2007".
Organizations/Universities/Hospital celiac websites:
Other websites that also give excellent information:
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By Danna Korn
Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is sometimes referred to as a “sister” to
celiac disease. Everyone with DH has celiac disease, but their primary
symptoms are external, rather than internal, presenting as a severe
rash on the skin. About five percent of celiacs have these external
symptoms of DH. People with DH also experience intestinal damage,
but generally without the typical gastrointestinal symptoms.
Eczema medications not working? Consider dermatitis herpetiformis.
DH is characterized by blistering and intensely itchy skin, and is
often misdiagnosed as eczema. The rash is found on the elbows, buttocks,
knees, back, face, and/or scalp. It is usually symmetrical, meaning
that it occurs in a mirror image from left to right.
Diagnosis is often initially made when it becomes clear that the
rash does not respond to eczema medication. To confirm the diagnosis,
a small skin biopsy is taken from the normal-looking skin next to
a blister site. The presence of IgA antibodies confirms a diagnosis
of DH.
The treatment for DH is the same as for celiac disease: a strict
gluten-free diet for life. In addition to avoiding gluten, many people
with DH find it necessary to avoid iodine and sometimes the related
chemical family of bromines.
The American Osteopathic College of Dermatology provides information
about DH at:
http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/dermatitis_herpeti.html
Also see "What triggers DH" on the Columbia Celiac Center website at www.celiacdiseasecenter.columbia.edu
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There are summaries of recent research studies on the celiac.com site
titled:
Celiac
Disease and Gluten Intolerance
Research
on Diseases and Disorders Associated with Celiac Disease
The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (www.celiacawareness.org )
has a section on recent research.
The University of Maryland site,
celiaccenter.org,
also provides a section of research articles at
http://www.celiaccenter.org/publications.asp. Also see
Prevalency
Study.
As of May 2006, there are six Celiac Disease research centers in
the United States. Note the last one is located in San Diego.
The six centers are (in alphabetical order):
Celiac Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, www.bidmc.harvard.edu/celiaccenter,
617-667- 1272
Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, www.celiacdiseasecenter.columbia.edu,
212-305-5590
Celiac Disease Clinic at Mayo Clinic, www.mayoclinic.org/celiac-disease,
507-284-5255
Center for Celiac Research, University of Maryland, www.celiaccenter.org,
410-706-5516
University of Chicago Celiac Disease Program, www.celiacdisease.net,
773-702-7593
William K. Warren Medical Research Center for Celiac Research, http://celiaccenter.ucsd.edu/,
858-534-1022
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