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| CD Sign |
Celiac Disease (CD) is a lifelong
inherited autoimmune condition affecting children and adults, when people with
CD eat foods that contain gluten. Gluten is present in wheat and other food
stuff (many processed and packaged foods) like in pasta, pizza crust different sausages
and in commonly liked junk food.
Low awareness in this country means
low awareness in the medical community about this disease. You probably haven’t
even heard about it before you read this article. With celiac disease, a
component of wheat, barley, and rye, called gluten, causes an immune reaction
that attacks the intestine and can affect the entire body. Gluten is the common
name for the proteins in specific grains that are harmful to persons with
celiac disease. These proteins are found in different forms of wheat (including
durum, semolina, spelt, kamut, einkorn and faro) and related grains rye, barley
and triticale that must be eliminated. The destruction of the inner lining of
the small intestine in celiac disease is caused by an immunological (allergic)
reaction to gluten that creates an immune-mediated toxic reaction, causes
damage to the small intestine and does not allow food to be properly absorbed.
When people suffering from Celiac
disease, eat Gluten containing food their immune system responds by damaging
the finger-like villi of the small intestine. When villi become damaged, the
body is unable to absorb nutrients into the bloodstream, which can lead to
malnourishment. 
Celiac disease can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea,
steatorrhea, weight loss, flatulence, iron deficiency anemia, abnormal
bleeding, or weakened bones. However, many adults with celiac disease may have
either no symptoms or only vague abdominal discomfort such as bloating,
abdominal distension, and excess gas. Eventually, the decreased absorption of
nutrients (mal-absorption) that occurs with celiac disease can cause vitamin
deficiencies that deprive your brain, peripheral nervous system, bones, liver
and other organs of vital nourishment. Other symptoms and problems further
caused by this autoimmune disease include weight loss, constipation, irritable
bowel syndrome, vomiting, short stature, iron deficiency with or without
Anemia, failure to thrive in infancy, poor performance, delayed puberty, infertility,
recurrent miscarriage, elevated liver enzymes, Down syndrome, Jorgen’s
syndrome, canker sores, arthritis, depression, osteoporosis, vitamin
deficiencies, tooth discoloration and dental enamel defects, skin disorders,
Autism, nerve and balance problems, irritability in children, seizures, and
migraines.
Celiac disease can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea,
steatorrhea, weight loss, flatulence, iron deficiency anemia, abnormal
bleeding, or weakened bones. However, many adults with celiac disease may have
either no symptoms or only vague abdominal discomfort such as bloating,
abdominal distension, and excess gas. Eventually, the decreased absorption of
nutrients (mal-absorption) that occurs with celiac disease can cause vitamin
deficiencies that deprive your brain, peripheral nervous system, bones, liver
and other organs of vital nourishment. Other symptoms and problems further
caused by this autoimmune disease include weight loss, constipation, irritable
bowel syndrome, vomiting, short stature, iron deficiency with or without
Anemia, failure to thrive in infancy, poor performance, delayed puberty, infertility,
recurrent miscarriage, elevated liver enzymes, Down syndrome, Jorgen’s
syndrome, canker sores, arthritis, depression, osteoporosis, vitamin
deficiencies, tooth discoloration and dental enamel defects, skin disorders,
Autism, nerve and balance problems, irritability in children, seizures, and
migraines.
Small intestinal biopsy is considered
the most accurate test for celiac disease. Blood tests can be performed to
diagnose celiac disease; these include endomysial antibodies, anti-tissue
transglutaminase antibodies, and anti-gliadin antibodies.
Children with celiac disease may have
stunted growth, and if untreated, childhood celiac disease can result in short
stature as an adult. In children with celiac disease, successful treatment with
a gluten free diet can lead to the resumption in growth (with rapid catch up in
height. Adults with celiac disease have a several-fold higher than normal risk
of developing lymphomas (cancers of the lymph glands) in the small intestine
and elsewhere. They also have a high risk of small intestinal and, to a lesser
degree, of esophageal carcinomas (cancers of the inner lining of the intestine
and esophagus).The prognosis of individuals with celiac disease who develop
lymphoma, collagenous celiac disease, or jejunal ulcers is poor. Additionally,
there seems to be a slightly increased risk of lymphomas and gastrointestinal
cancers. Many symptoms of celiac disease look like many other diseases,
sicknesses, etc so it is very deceiving. There is no cure for celiac disease.
The treatment of celiac disease is a gluten free diet. In other cases,
sufferers from gluten-intolerance develop an intense burning and itching rash
called Dermatitis herpetiformis. The intestinal symptoms of celiac disease may
or may not appear in dermatitis herpetiformis.
There is no particular treatment other
than gluten-free food. This requires knowledgeable dietetic counseling and
frequent “up-dates” as commercial food contents change. Celiac must be alert to
hidden sources of gluten such as HVP/HPP (hydrolyzed vegetable/plant protein);
malt; spelt; kamut; and certain drug products person with celiac disease.
References:
www.celiaccentral.org/awarenessmonth/
www.medicinenet.com › ... › celiac disease index
www.celiaccentral.org/Celiac-Disease/21/
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