Celiac Disease/Gluten Intolerance

Celiac disease, also known as celiac sprue and gluten-sensitivity enteropathy, is an autoimmune-mediated disease. It causes inflammation of the small intestine and leads to numerous abdominal as well as nongastrointestinal symptoms. Patients with celiac disease have a genetically inherited intolerance to storage proteins present in wheat, barley, and rye.¹ Previously thought to be a relatively rare condition, a recent hearing by the National Institutes of Health consensus panel on the condition has concluded that the condition is under diagnosed and is estimated to affect between 0.5% and 1% (up to three million individuals) of the US population.² These new figures are 10 times higher than previous estimates, with celiac disease affecting 1 in every 120 persons, making it one of the most common genetic disorders.³. Because symptoms of celiac disease are varied or silent, diagnosis can be substantially delayed, with the average time to diagnosis being 11 years.² The following case represents a common presentation that illustrates the challenges of reaching a timely and correct diagnosis.