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Washington Area  Celiac
Sprue Support Group
Celiac Disease FAQ:
What is it?
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What
is celiac disease?
What
are the symptoms of celiac disease?
How
common is celiac disease?
How
is celiac diagnosed?
What
are the long-term effects of celiac disease?
What
is the treatment for celiac disease?
What
are the recommended blood tests to diagnose
CD?
How accurate
are the celiac blood tests?
What is celiac disease?
Celiac disease is a genetic disorder affecting children and adults. People
with celiac disease are unable to eat foods that contain gluten, which
is found in wheat and other grains. In people with celiac disease,
gluten sets off an autoimmune reaction that causes the destruction
of the villi in the small intestine. People with celiac disease produce
antibodies that attack the intestine, causing damage and illness. Finding
the cause of this disease is a priority of The University of Maryland
Center for Celiac Research.
What are the symptoms of
celiac disease?
Symptoms of celiac disease include diarrhea,
weight loss, abdominal pain, chronic fatigue, weakness, malnutrition,
and other gastrointestinal problems. In children, the symptoms
may include failure to thrive (an inability to grow and put on
weight), irritability, an inability to concentrate, diarrhea
and bloating. Further, people affected by Celiac Disease may
experience extra intestinal symptoms that involve many systems
and organs including bones (osteoporosis, arthritis, and joint
pain), blood (anemia and bleeding), reproductive system (infertility
and reoccurring abortion), nervous system (chronic fatigue syndrome,
depression, dementia), and behavioral changes.
How common is celiac disease?
Nearly one out of every 133 Americans
suffer from celiac disease, according to a new study by the
University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research in Baltimore.
The research indicates that celiac is twice as common as Crohn's
disease, ulceric colitis and cystic fibrosis combined.
How is celiac diagnosed?
A blood test is now available to screen
for the presence of specific antibodies. A biopsy of the intestine
(before beginning a gluten free diet) is needed to make a final
diagnosis.
What are the long-term
effects of celiac disease?
Untreated celiac disease can be life
threatening. Celiacs are more likely to be afflicted with problems
relating to malabsorption, including osteoporosis, tooth enamel
defects, central and peripheral nervous system disease, pancreatic
disease, internal hemorrhaging, organ disorders (gall bladder,
liver, and spleen), and gynecological disorders. Untreated celiac
disease has also been linked an increased risk of certain types
of cancer, especially intestinal lymphoma.
What is the treatment for
celiac disease?
There are no drugs to treat celiac disease
and there is no cure. But celiacs can lead normal, healthy lives
by following a gluten free diet. This means avoiding all products
derived from wheat, rye, and barley.
What
are the recommended blood tests to diagnose CD?
There
is a particular series of blood
tests called the ‘Celiac Panel”.
These tests measure your immune system’s response to gluten
in the food you eat.
tTG-IgA or tissue
transglutaminase-IgA
AGA-IgG or Antigliadin IgG
AGA-IgA or Antigliadin IGA
Total IGA
The presence
of tTG antibodies is highly suggestive of CD, while AGA can
be elevated also in cases of wheat allergy.
How accurate
are the celiac blood tests?
The current diagnostic
tests for CD are very accurate, particularly when tTG and anti-endomysial
antibodies are elevated. The isolated presence of anti-gliadin
antibodies does not necessarily imply that the subject is affected
by CD, with the exception of children under the age 2 in which
tTG and EMA may not be present
Copied from the Celiac Center for Research,
University of MD, Baltimore, MD. For
more information, go to their website: www.celiaccenter.org
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