SYMPTOMS OF CELIAC DISEASE

What are the symptoms of celiac disease?

The symptoms can help you diagnose the disease. Remember the final diagnosis should be made by a physician

Celiac disease is one of the forms of allergic reactions in which hypersensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat, oat, rye and barley grains is observed. Gluten is the etiological factor of this disease. Celiac disease occurs only in genetically predisposed individuals, is inherited and is autosomal dominant. Celiac disease is treated with a gluten-free diet.

What are the symptoms of celiac disease?

Celiac disease is one of the forms of allergic reactions in which hypersensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat, oat, rye and barley grains is observed. Gluten is the etiological factor of this disease. Celiac disease occurs only in genetically predisposed individuals, is inherited and is autosomal dominant. Celiac disease is treated with a gluten-free diet.

What are the symptoms of celiac disease?

The most common symptoms of celiac disease include diarrhea, abdominal distension and weight loss. The celiac disease symptoms may vary across the population. Some people do not have any clinical symptoms despite the presence of significant changes in the histopathology of the small intestinal mucosa and despite the presence of specific antibodies in biochemical tests. Such cases are referred to as latent celiac disease. In contrast in patients sensitive to gluten with clear clinical signs of disease changes in the small intestine are minimal or not found at all. A certain group of patients have atypical symptoms such as: autoimmune endocrine disorders (eg insulin-dependent diabetes), neurological (eg epilepsy) and other tab.1. For this reason, some people do not get a proper diagnosis for many years. The classic form of the disease is the intestinal form, which is dominated by malabsorption syndrome (diarrhea, anemia loss, protein deficiency). Clinical symptoms outside the gastrointestinal tract include skin symptoms, neurological symptoms (neuropathy, ataxia), endocrine disorders (menstrual disorders or amenhorrhea, impotence, infertility), low bone mass (osteopenia), pathological bone fractures, swellings and skin changes (Table 1). Mild anemia resulting from iron deficiency is a very common and often the only symptom of the disease. In celiac disease, despite the normalization of morphology after treatment with iron preparations and folic acid, the feeling of tiredness and weakness persists.

Tab. 1
Parenteral symptoms of celiac disease.

Organ / System	symptoms	Cause
hematopoietic	anemia	deficiency: iron, folic acid, vitamin B12
	bleeding	deficiency: vitamin K, thrombocytopenia (low number of platelets due to folic acid deficiency and vitamin B12)
Skeletal system	osteopenia	disorders of absorption of calcium and vitamin D
	pathological bone fractures	osteopenia
	osteoartropia	unknown
Muscles	atrophy (atrophy)	“malnutrition associated with absorption impairment”
	muscle cramps	disorders of absorption of calcium, vitamin D, magnesium
	weakness in muscle strength	potassium deficiency, muscular atrophy
The nervous system	peripheral neuropathy	deficiencies of vitamin B12 and thiamine
	ataxia	damage to the brain and posterior column
	demyelination of the central nervous system (epilepsy)	unknown
Endocrine system	insulin-dependent diabetes	autoimmune
	tetany	hypocalcaemia (due to disturbances of calcium and vitamin D absorption)
	menstrual disorders (lack of menstruation), infertility, impotence	hypopituitarism in the course of malnutrition
Skin	skin infection	disorders of absorption of vitamin A and B vitamins
	petechiae	Vitamin K deficiency
	petechiae	protein deficiency
	Dhuring’s disease	unknown

The diagnosis of celiac disease is based on a comprehensive assessment of:

• clinical symptoms,
• results of serological tests,
• histopathological examination of the small intestinal mucosa
• other tests

Clinical symptoms in childhood include diarrhea, vomiting and growth disorders. Some of the little patients have a very characteristic appearance: enlarged abdominal girth, lowered buttocks and shoulder girdle and lack of body mass. Article written on the basis of the book: “Celiakia” M. Jarosz, J. Dzieniszewski, Eng. Wioleta Zysk

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