Celiac disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder caused by the continued ingestion of gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye, by predisposed individuals. With the development of highly sensitive serologic tests, this has become an increasingly recognized disease with prevalence as high as 1% in certain patient populations, such as Caucasian females. Almost all celiac patients carry the human leukocyte antigen DQ2/DQ8 gene. Much has recently been discovered about the role of the innate immune system in exposing genetically vulnerable patients to the pathogenic gliadin fraction of gluten. The "classical" presentation of chronic diarrhea and malabsorption is now a rarity. Due to earlier detection and increased awareness, celiac disease now presents with a myriad of "atypical" signs and symptoms such as iron-deficiency anemia and osteoporosis. Associated conditions include T-cell lymphoma, dermatitis herpetiformis, autoimmune thyroiditis and type 1 diabetes. Diagnosis requires serologic confirmation with either antiendomysial or antitransglutaminase antibodies as well as histologic confirmation from endoscopic small bowel biopsy. The only effective treatment necessitates a lifelong, continual adherence to a gluten-free diet.