[Clinical symptoms variety in adults with celiac disease]

Abstract

Celiac disease, called gluten enteropathy, is a chronic disorder, characterized by the immunologic answer to the gluten contained in the wheat, barley and oat in genetically predisposed patients. The frequency of celiac disease is estimated on 0.5-1% in the adult population and proportion of diagnosed to non-diagnosed cases is 1 to 7. The clinical picture of that disease in adults presents wide spectrum of gastrointestinal and extraintestinal symptoms. There is 5-10 fold increased risk of its coexistence with other autoimmune diseases, such as diabetes mellitus type I, juvenile arthritis or autoimmune thyroiditis. Abnormal liver function or vascular thrombosis are also observed. Acute abdominal pain as the leading symptom is present in 16.3% of celiac cases. Moreover the increased frequency of the microscopic colitis and gastritis may influence on the persistence of clinical symptoms.