Celiac Disease

Known as gluten-sensitive enteropathy, celiac sprue or nontropical sprue, celiac disease is a serious condition where people suffer from painful and undesirable symptoms when they consume the protein gluten. Gluten is found in food producers such as wheat, barley, rye and other foods. In a normal small intestine, finger like protrusions located in the lining, called villi, normally allow nutrients from food to be absorbed into the bloodstream. In a person with celiac disease, these villi become damaged or destroyed upon the ingestion of gluten. Without healthy villi to properly absorb nutrients, a person can become malnourished. Celiac disease is considered an auto immune disorder as well as a malabsorbtion disorder due to the nutrients not being absorbed. It is a generic disease that is triggered by severe emotional stress, surgery, pregnancy or viral infection.

Celiac disease is very difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are varied with different people. Celiac disease symptoms often mimic other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, parasite infections, a nervous condition, anemia, gastric ulcers, skin disorders or Chrohns Disease. Symptoms for celiac disease include:

• Weight loss / weight gain
• Pale, foul-smelling, or fatty stool
• Chronic diarrhea
• Recurring abdominal bloating and pain
• Gas
• Fatigue
• Unexplained anemia
• Osteoporosis, osteopenia
• Bone or joint pain
• Infertility, recurrent miscarriage
• Missed menstrual periods (often because of excessive weight loss)
• Seizures
• Tingling numbness in the legs (from nerve damage)
• Behavioral changes
• Muscle cramps
• Pale sores inside the mouth, called aphthous ulcers
• Itchy skin rash called dermatitis herpetiformis
• Tooth discoloration or loss of enamel
• Failure to thrive in infants
• Delayed Growth 

Symptoms of celiac disease may appear in childhood or adulthood; however, some people may not have any symptoms at all.  It is noted that symptoms may occur outside the digestive tract as well as inside it.

Before the diagnostic test is done for celiac disease, patients are advised to eat a normal diet that includes food products containing gluten in ensure a proper diagnosis. Tests for the disease include e a blood tests that measures anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTGA), IgA anti-endomysium antibodies (AEA), Immunoglobulin A (IgA) and possible a Complete Blood Count (CBC) (to look for anemia).  More tests will be done to confirm the diagnosis if celiac disease is suspected due to the symptoms and the blood tests. Further tests include a biopsy of a tissue that is taken out of the small intestine. Other tests include a CRP (C-Reactive protein) to evaluate inflammation, a CMP (complete metabolic panel) to determine electrolyte, protein, and calcium levels, and to verify the status of the kidney and liver, Vitamin D, E, and B12 levels to measure vitamin deficiencies, an evaluation of stool fat, to help evaluate malabsorption as well as an ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) to evaluate inflammation.

People with celiac disease do not have to take any special medication, go to frequent doctors visits or even have surgery. Treatment for the disease includes a diet the is free of gluten and it is considered difficult at first because so many food products contain this protein. However there are still many products available that are gluten free which the person suffering from celiac disease can still enjoy.