Celiac Disease

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Celiac disease is a chronic digestive disorder that prevents proper absorption of certain types of grains. Celiac disease is often referred to in lay terms as gluten intolerance, and it is known variously in the medical literature as gluten sensitive enteropathy, gluten intolerant enteropathy, nontropical sprue, celiac sprue, or coeliac.

Celiac is often concomitant with or related to a number of other conditions, such as:

• Scleroderma
• Sjogren's syndrome
• Type I insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
• Graves' disease
• Chronic active hepatitis
• Addison's disease
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Myasthenia gravis

Etiology of Celiac Disease

Although there has been a considerable amount of debate about the etiology of celiac disease, the current data suggests that the large majority of cases are genetic in origin. There is strong statistical linkage between family members with the disease, with approximately ten percent of patients diagnosed with celiac disease reporting close relatives who also suffer from the condition. Celiac disease is considered a common condition, with a recent random test of donated blood samples suggesting that as many as 1 in 200 Americans may have the condition. There seems to be a strong association between certain ethnic heritages and celiac disease, as suggested by its increased incidence among certain ethnic populations, particularly people of Irish descent.

Characteristic of Celiac Disease

The primary characteristic of celiac disease is damage to the small intestine that occurs as a result of a chronic reaction to a component of glutens known as gliadin, particularly those associated with wheat and wheat-based food products . The main consequence of this intolerant reaction to gliadins and glutens is mucosal damage to the small intestine, destroying the villi and promoting the growth of crypt cells. Both of these processes interfere with the proper absorption of nutrients, which can result in a whole array of conditions stemming from malnutrition or deficiencies of vitamins or minerals.