Does Celiac Disease Ever Travel Alone?

Abstract

Celiac disease is a genetic disease that can affect many different organs in susceptible individuals. It is a common digestive disease with an incidence of 1% in the general population. Celiac disease has a wide variety of gastrointestinal as well as extraintestinal signs and symptoms. The disease is unrecognized or undiagnosed in 75% to 90% of cases because of subclinical or unusual symptoms. Many nonmalignant and malignant complications have been associated with celiac disease, the most common of which are associated autoimmune disorders, altered liver and thyroid function, and lymphoma. The risk of developing complications from celiac disease is much higher with adult-onset disease. Most of the associated complications are related to the chronic inflammation that occurs with continued gluten exposure. A strict gluten-free diet is advised for patients with celiac disease. However, the risk of malignancy associated with celiac disease is not high enough to warrant mass screening of all individuals.