| Celiac disease,
an autoimmune disease of the gut, may be more common than previously
thought, according to a study.
The disease may affect as many as one in 99 children and is triggered
when people who are genetically predisposed consume proteins found
in wheat, barley and rye.
Children with severe celiac disease have trouble absorbing nutrients,
which can lead to weight loss and anemia. Researchers have also
discovered mild forms of the disease that have symptoms unrelated
to the gut.
Further, adults may have the condition for many years without knowing
because the symptoms vary widely, making the disease difficult to
diagnose. Undiagnosed celiac disease can result in osteoporosis,
chronic fatigue, anemia, miscarriages and behavioral changes, researchers
noted.
In the United States, it took as many as 12 to 13 years after symptoms
occurred for patients to be diagnosed with celiac disease, according
to another study.
Celiac disease is treated with a gluten-free diet. Gluten is the
protein that triggers the reaction.
In the study, examined the blood, which had been collected in 1994
for a previous study, from 3,654 students aged 7 to 16 years.
It was found that although 56 of the children tested positive for
the disease, only 10 had been diagnosed with celiac disease as of
2001.
Researchers then did a biopsy of the intestines of 36 of the children
who had tested positive to check against the blood test results.
Of these children, 27 had signs of celiac disease according to the
biopsy.
The diet used to treat celiac disease can be challenging as patients
can’t consume pasta, bread, cookies or beer, and gluten is
often used in prepared foods but not listed on labels.
Researchers noted that people are more likely to stick with the
diet if their symptoms resolve as a result.
New
England Journal of Medicine June 19, 2003;348:2517-2524,2568-2570
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