Celiac Disease

Introduction

Celiac disease (netropska sprue, gluten enteropathy, celiac sprue) is a congenital disease in which the allergic intolerance of gluten protein causes changes in the intestine that result in malabsorption.

Celiac disease has one of the 300 people in southwest Ireland, and one or more than 5,000 in North America. This is a congenital disorder caused by sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat and rye, and to a lesser extent in barley and oats. In this disease part of the gluten molecule combines with antibodies in the small intestine, causing the normal intestinal mucosa, which looks like brushes, becomes flat. As a result, we have a smooth surface that food poorly digested and absorbed. When avoiding foods that contain gluten, it is usually normal Bristle area recover and return to normal bowel function.

Symptoms

Celiac disease can begin at any age. In children, it does not appear any symptoms before they first ate foods containing gluten. Celiac disease often does not cause diarrhea or fatty stools, and a child may have only mild symptoms, which are interpreted as an ordinary stomach disorder. However, some children do not grow normally, suffer from painful swelling in the abdomen and begin to erupt pale, smelly, abundant chair. Iron deficiency anemia occurs. If the level of protein in the blood drops low enough, the child retains fluids and tissues may swell (edema).In some people the symptoms do not occur until adulthood.

Nutritional deficiencies that occur due to poor absorption, celiac disease can cause additional symptoms. These symptoms include weight loss, joint pain, and feel bites nails and needles in hands and feet. Some people who have celiac disease in childhood can have an abnormally bent long bones. Depending on the severity and duration of the disease, a person may have low blood levels of protein, calcium, potassium and sodium. Lack of prothrombin, which is important in blood clotting, leading to the formation of light leak and prolonged bleeding after an injury. Girls with celiac disease can be no menstruation.

Diagnosis

Doctors suspect the celiac pale when they see a child who has a skinny ass and bulging belly, despite adequate nutrition, especially if there is a family history of the disease. Doctor helps in diagnosis results Rtg and laboratory tests. Sometimes it is useful laboratory test in which we measured the absorption of xylose, a simple sugar.

Diagnosis is confirmed by examination of a biopsy specimen showing flat lining of the small intestine, and subsequently fixing the lining after a person stops eating gluten products.

Treatment

Symptoms can cause eating even small amounts of gluten from the diet, and to exclude all gluten. Gluten is so widely used in food products for people with this disease have a detailed list of foods you should avoid and the expert advice of a dietician, as gluten is found in artificial soups, sauces, ice cream and hot dogs.

Sometimes children who are seriously ill at the first diagnosis to be fed intravenously. Adults such a diet is rarely needed.

Some people are poor or do not respond to the elimination of gluten. This may be either because of inaccurate diagnosis, either because the disease has entered the stage where you do not respond. In the case of the other, can be helpful corticosteroids.

Some people with celiac disease, who avoided gluten long time, can not bear reintroduction of gluten in foods. Try to re-introduce gluten may be prudent, but if the symptoms reappear, gluten should be immediately removed from the diet.

Food gluten significantly improves the prognosis for children and adults. However, celiac disease can be fatal, mainly for adults with severe disease. A small percentage of adults can develop lymphoma (a type of cancer) in the intestine. It is not known whether this reduces the risk strict adherence to a gluten-free diet.