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Updated: Jun 18, 2025

Fluorescence-mediated Tomography for the Detection and Quantification of Macrophage-related Murine Intestinal Inflammation
Published on: December 15, 2017
Microscopic Colitis and Celiac Disease: Sharing More than a Diagnostic Overlap
Ana María González-Castro1,2, Fernando Fernández-Bañares3,4, Yamile Zabana3,4
1Translational Mucosal Immunology Laboratory, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca, 08035 Barcelona, Spain.
Microscopic colitis and celiac disease share epidemiological links, with about 6% of patients having both, especially those with refractory symptoms. Screening for one condition in patients with the other is recommended.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Immunology
Background:
- Microscopic colitis (MC) is an emerging chronic colonic inflammatory disease.
- Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic gluten-induced enteropathy of the small intestine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the epidemiological, clinical, and pathophysiological relationship between MC and CD.
- To analyze recent studies on the association between these two gastrointestinal disorders.
Main Methods:
- A narrative review of existing literature was conducted.
- Analysis focused on epidemiological, clinical, and pathophysiological data.
Main Results:
- MC and CD co-occur in approximately 6% of cases, particularly in refractory patients.
- Both diseases involve multifactorial immune responses, shared genetic factors, and autoimmunity.
- Common clinical symptoms and risk factors are observed, alongside overlap with other GI diseases.
Conclusions:
- Physicians should consider screening refractory CD patients for MC and vice versa.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the complex shared pathogenetic mechanisms underlying the association between CD and MC.
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