[Adult celiac disease: study of 21 cases and review of the bibliography]

Celiac sprue is a chronic disease characterized by a typical lesion in the small intestine and nutrient malabsorption that improves on withdrawal of dietary gluten. Adult celiac disease (or gluten enteropathy) is a common and under-diagnosed disease since presentation varies among a) symptomatic or clinically active forms (including mono- or oligosymptomatic forms), b) asymptomatic, subclinical or silent forms, and c) latent forms. We present a descriptive study of a retrospective series of patients diagnosed with symptomatic or clinically active adult celiac disease who required hospitalization between January 1993 and June 2000. The form of symptomatic expression, biological alterations, investigations that confirm the diagnosis, associated diseases, complications and response to treatment are described.