Celiac disease is treatable



Dear Dr. Donohue: How serious is celiac disease? My daughter underwent testing, and the results came back positive. She says it is genetic. May I have your comments? - J.G.

Dear J.G.: Celiac disease can be quite serious if it goes untreated. Treated, the illness is a controllable condition.

The troublemaker is gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Gluten, when eaten by celiac patients, triggers an immune response that disrupts their digestive tracts. Crampy stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea and weight loss are prominent symptoms. The digestive tract can't absorb nutrients, vitamins or minerals, and the consequences can be many - iron-deficiency anemia, osteoporosis and vitamin deficiencies.

Some people have such mild symptoms that the diagnosis isn't made until late in life. Others are frequently misdiagnosed. Many tests are now available for antibodies that celiac patients make. When those tests are positive, a biopsy of the small intestine can be obtained.

Genes are important. The illness is especially prevalent in whites of Northern European extraction. People who inherit the celiac genes are at greater risk of coming down with the illness, but only a minority do.

Treatment is strict avoidance of gluten. That means no wheat, barley and rye. Oats might be a problem for some. Treatment isn't all that simple. These grains and their products appear in many guises. Two organizations can guide patients through a no-gluten diet: the Celiac Disease Foundation (818-990-2354, celiac.org) and the Celiac Sprue Association (877-272-4272, csaceliacs.org).


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