| Abstract: |
This fact sheet provides basic information about celiac disease and its diagnosis. Designed to help increase health care providers’ and patients’ index of suspicion about the disease, the fact sheet describes how the intestine reacts to gluten, the epidemiology of celiac disease, the primary symptoms, diagnostic tests used to confirm the presence of the disease, and treatment with a gluten-free diet. A final section considers the complications of celiac disease, all of which can be avoided by following a gluten-free diet. The most common symptoms of celiac disease include abdominal pain, bloating and gas, diarrhea, stools that may float or smell unusually bad, weight loss, poor growth or weight loss in children, and anemia. Other symptoms or complications include weakness, tiredness, low vitamin levels, bone and joint pains, osteoporosis, and a chronic skin rash. Diagnostic tests used include blood tests and an endoscopic biopsy of the small bowel. The fact sheet includes a brief list of grains that contain gluten and must be avoided, as well as a list of frequently overlooked foods that often contain gluten. A full-color illustration of the intestinal villi is included. A list of 10 websites that have more information concludes the fact sheet. 4 figures. |