[Clinical features and diagnosis of celiac disease]

Celiac disease is a life-long enteropathy caused by an intolerance to gluten. The pathologic lesion of the small intestinal mucosa is characterized by the loss of absorptive villi, crypt cell hyperplasia, and infiltration of the lamina propria with inflammatory cells. The clinical presentation of celiac disease varies greatly depending on patient's age, duration and extent of the disease, and the presence of extraintestinal manifestations. The classical symptoms like diarrhea, weight loss and abdominal pain are seen less common. Unfortunately, most patients with celiac disease have either silent or atypical presentations, thus escaping diagnosis for several years. The pathologic changes and symptoms resolve when gluten is excluded from the diet for a sustained period. Untreated celiac disease is associated with significant risk of the development of enteropathy-associated intestinal lymphoma.