Celiac Disease

Celiac Disease Latest News

Celiac disease, traditionally regarded as a childhood disorder, is increasingly being diagnosed among adults and the elderly, with doctors at the PGIMS, Rohtak, reporting a growing number of atypical cases.

About Celiac Disease

• Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that causes your body to react to a protein called gluten. 
  • Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and other grains. 
  • It may also be in other products like vitamins and supplements, hair and skin products, toothpastes, and lip balm. 
• When people with celiac disease eat gluten, it triggers an abnormal response from your immune system. 
• Your immune system attacks the gluten in your digestive system, causing inflammation. 
• This inflammation damages the inside of your small intestine. 
• The damage may prevent your body from absorbing vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from the food you eat. 
• Without treatment, celiac disease can lead to malabsorption and malnutrition. 
• Malnutrition has many serious side effects, especially in children. Children with celiac disease may have growth and development delays. 
• The condition is also known as celiac sprue, nontropical sprue, or gluten-sensitive enteropathy. 

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What Causes Celiac Disease?

• The exact cause of celiac disease is not known. 
• Research suggests that celiac disease only happens in people who have certain genes and eat food that contains gluten. 
• Researchers are studying other factors that may play a role in causing the disease.

Celiac Disease Symptoms

• Signs and symptoms of celiac disease can appear at any age. Healthcare providers most often see it develop during two clear age windows:
  • Early childhood, between 8 and 12 months old (when children may begin eating solid foods with gluten in them, like crackers or cereals)
  • Midlife, between the ages of 40 and 60
• Celiac disease symptoms vary widely. Some people don’t notice any symptoms at all. 
• Some experience indigestion or other GI symptoms after eating gluten. 
• Others only begin to see signs of nutrient deficiencies later, when significant damage has been done.
• Gastrointestinal (digestive) symptoms of celiac disease may include:
  • Stomach pain
  • Bloating
  • Gas
  • Diarrhea
• Nondigestive symptoms may include:
  • Paleness
  • Extreme tiredness
  • Cold hands
  • Indented (concave) nails
  • Dental enamel defects
  • Abnormal periods
  • Trouble getting pregnant
  • Irritability or depression
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Growth faltering in children
• Some people with celiac disease develop a condition called dermatitis herpetiformis. This is an itchy rash that looks like clusters of bumps or blisters. It affects your elbows, knees, butt, and scalp.

Is Celiac Disease serious?

• While celiac disease itself isn’t usually life-threatening, it can lead to serious complications and symptoms if it’s not managed. 
• Untreated celiac disease also raises your risk for some types of cancer. 

Celiac Disease Treatment

• The only treatment for celiac disease is strict adherence to a gluten-free diet for life. 
• Sticking with a gluten-free diet will treat or prevent many of the symptoms and other health problems caused by celiac disease. 
• In most cases, it can also heal damage in the small intestine and prevent more damage.

News: TRIB