What is CELIAC DISEASE? Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment
Loading advertisement...
Preload Image
Up next

Video title

Cancel

What is CELIAC DISEASE? Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

Coeliac disease, also spelled celiac disease, is a long-term autoimmune disorder that primarily affects the small intestine.Classic symptoms include gastrointestinal problems such as chronic diarrhoea, abdominal distention, malabsorption, loss of appetite and among children failure to grow normally.This often begins between six months and two years of age. Non-classic symptoms are more common, especially in people older than two years. There may be mild or absent gastrointestinal symptoms, a wide number of symptoms involving any part of the body or no obvious symptoms. Coeliac disease was first described in childhood; however, it may develop at any age.It is associated with other autoimmune diseases, such as diabetes mellitus type 1 and thyroiditis, among others.

Coeliac disease is caused by a reaction to gluten, which are various proteins found in wheat and in other grains such as barley and rye.Moderate quantities of oats, free of contamination with other gluten-containing grains, are usually tolerated.The occurrence of problems may depend on the variety of oat. It occurs in people who are genetically predisposed. Upon exposure to gluten, an abnormal immune response may lead to the production of several different autoantibodies that can affect a number of different organs.In the small bowel, this causes an inflammatory reaction and may produce shortening of the villi lining the small intestine (villous atrophy).This affects the absorption of nutrients, frequently leading to anaemia.[