[Celiac disease in the adult--a case report]

The diagnosis of celiac disease is often missed particularly in cases of adult onset. We report the case of a man in his seventh decade who had been treated for many years for endocrine symptoms and signs of malabsorption. The first biopsy diagnosis of celiac disease was ignored. After a second jejunal biopsy, adequate treatment with a gluten-free diet was initiated. This resulted in recovery. The fact that celiac disease may often present for the first time in adults and that symptoms are not always clear are stressed as well as screening for the disease with the aid of endoscopic techniques.