Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity |
| Author: Shelley Ensz. Scleroderma is highly variable. See Types of Scleroderma. Read Disclaimer |
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What is Gluten Sensitivity? |
| Gluten sensitivity and Celiac disease are a known cause of scleroderma and dozens of other autoimmune diseases. Even if tests for gluten sensitivity and Celiac disease are negative or inconclusive, trial of a gluten-free and casein-free (GFCF) should be considered. (Also see: Autoimmune Diseases) |
| What is the difference between Gluten intolerance and Celiac Disease? Gluten intolerance is a broad term which includes all kinds of sensitivity to Gluten. A small proportion of Gluten intolerant people will test positive to Celiac Disease test, and so are called Celiacs. But most Gluten sensitive people return negative or inconclusive results upon Celiac testing. The correct term for these people is Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitive (NCGS). The Food Intolerant Consumer. |
What is Celiac Disease? |
| Celiac Disease Health Center. Celiac disease is an immune system disorder that results in damage to the lining of the small intestine when foods with gluten are eaten. WebMD. |
| Celiac Disease. Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. Foods or products containing gluten causes the immune system to damage the small intestine. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. |
| Risk of morbidity in contemporary celiac disease. Celiac disease is one of the most common chronic diseases encountered in the Western world with a serological prevalence of approximately 1%. Since it is so common, much comorbidity will occur either as associations or simply by chance, or as complications of the disorder. Lewis NR. (PubMed) Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2010 Dec. |
| Are Celiac Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Related? According to an Italian study, Celiac disease and inflammatory bowel are not related, they are merely two diseases that sometimes cross the same path. Celiac.com. 03/24/10. (Also see: IBD) |
Causes of Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity |
| Prevalence of celiac disease among first degree relatives of celiac disease patients. Given the high prevalence (4.8%) of the disease in this specific group, it is suggested that an extensive screening policy be mandatory for these subjects. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2012 Jan 10. |
| Causes of Celiac Disease. The exact cause of celiac disease is unknown, but it's often inherited. Many times, for unclear reasons, the disease emerges after some form of trauma: an infection, a physical injury, the stress of pregnancy, severe stress or surgery. Mayo Clinic. |
| Gluten in Cosmetics Threaten Those With Celiac Disease. The findings are alarming because gluten-containing cosmetics can be inadvertently obtained by the consumer and use of these products can result in an exacerbation of celiac disease. MedlinePlus. 11/01/11. |
| When, and Why, Did Everyone Stop Eating Gluten? Although many autoimmune diseases are thought to result from an interplay of genetic and environmental components, celiac is the only one for which the environmental trigger is actually known. Diana Gitig. Scientific American. 05/10/11. |
| Immune Disturbances Genetically Linked to Celiac Disease. Researchers found that people with celiac disease had disturbances in how the body's T cells react to wheat proteins, how the thymus gland eliminates these cells, and how the body responds to viral infections. Healia. Health News. 03/07/10. |
Gluten Sensitivity, Celiac Disease, and Scleroderma |
| Gluten sensitivity and Celiac disease are a known or suspected cause of scleroderma and dozens of other autoimmune diseases. Even if tests for gluten sensitivity and Celia disease are negative or inconclusive, trial of a gluten-free and casein-free (GFCF) should be considered. (Also see Diagnosis of Gluten Sensivity and Celiac Disease, What is Scleroderma?, and Types of Scleroderma) |
| Celiac disease screening in patients with scleroderma. The authors conclude that there is no need to screen scleroderma patients with diarrhea for celiac disease unless there is a clear clinical indication for this. Nisihara R.(PubMed) Arq Gastroenterol. 2011 Jun;48(2):163-4. |
| Active Scleroderma Common in Celiac Disease. There have been previous reports of several rheumatological disorders, including Raynaud's phenomenon in people with celiac disease, but this seems to be the first report of extensive microvascular damage, similar to capillary changes in scelroderma, documented by nailfold capillaroscopy in a patient with celiac disease. Jefferson Adams. Celiac.com. 10/01/10. (Also see: Nailfold Capillaroscopy) |
| High Incidence of Celiac Disease in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). Our data show an increased prevalence of celiac disease in patients with SSc. E. Rosato. J. Rheum. March 30 2009. (Also see: Shared Autoimmunity) |
Gluten Sensitivity, Celiac Disease, and Autoimmunity |
| Increased Risk of Coeliac Disease in Patients with Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH). In CH patients, a statistically significant difference was found in the familial occurrence of autoimmune diseases compared to controls. Stagi S. (BioPortfolio) Horm Res Paediatr. 2011 Jul 15. (Also see: Thyroid Disease) |
| A Connection Between Thyroid Disease And Celiac Disease. Hypothyroidism was four times more common in celiacs than in non-celiacs. Hyperthyroidism was three times more common in celiacs than in non-celiacs. Jody Smith. EmpowHER. 07/25/11. (Also see: Thyroid Disease) |
| Gluten sensitivity and Celiac disease are a known or suspected cause of dozens of autoimmune diseases. Even if tests for gluten sensitivity and Celia disease are negative or inconclusive, trial of a gluten-free and casein-free (GFCF) should be considered. (See Diagnosis of Gluten Sensivity and Celiac Disease) |
| Atypical celiac disease in a patient with type 1 diabetes mellitus and Hashimoto's thyreoiditis. These investigations indicated atypical celiac disease with malabsorption, anemia and osteoporosis. Schreiber FS Dtsch Med Wochenschr. 2011 Jan;136(3):82-85. (PubMed). |
| Autoimmune Hepatitis and Celiac Disease: Case Report Showing an Entero-Hepatic Link. The autoimmune processes can affect the liver with manifestations such as primary biliary cirrhosis and autoimmune hepatitis. Tovoli F. (PubMed) Case Rep Gastroenterol. 2010 Oct 26. (Also see: Autoimmune Hepatitis, and Primary Biliary Cirrhosis ) |
| Yield of Diagnostic Tests for Celiac Disease in Individuals With Symptoms Suggestive of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Prevalence of biopsy-proved celiac disease in cases meeting diagnostic criteria for IBS was more than 4-fold that in controls without IBS. Alexander C. Ford. Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(7):651-658. (Also see: Irritable Bowel Syndrome) |
| Between Celiac Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: The "No Man's Land" of Gluten Sensitivity. A better understanding of how gluten can cause symptoms in sensitive individuals will illuminate the interaction between host genotype, diet, and intestinal microbiota in generating one of the most common GI conditions. E. Verdu, MD. AJG. May 19 2009. (Also see: Irritable Bowel Syndrome) |
| Polymyositis: Can a gluten-free diet reduce symptoms? If you have polymyositis — a rare connective tissue disease — you may be at increased risk of celiac disease. In such cases, a gluten-free diet can improve signs and symptoms of celiac disease. But there's no evidence that a gluten-free diet can improve signs and symptoms of polymyositis. Mayo Clinic. (Also see: Polymyositis) |
| Celiac Disease Research: Associated Diseases and Disorders. Disorders associated with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity include: anemia, arthritis, ataxia, nerve disease, neuropathy, brain damage, attention deficit disorder, autism, bacterial overgrowth, cancer, lymphoma, candida albicans, casein or cow's milk intolerance, chronic fatigue syndrome, cognitive impairment, Crohn's disease, depression, diabetes, Down Syndrome, dyspepsia, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, flatulence (gas), gall bladder disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, growth hormone deficiency, heart failure, infertility, impotency, inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal permeability, irritable bowel syndrome, kidney disease, liver disease, malnutrition, migraine headaches, miscarriage, multiple sclerosis, obesity, osteoporosis, osteomalacia, pancreatic disorders, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, schizophrenia, scleroderma, Sjogren's syndrome, skin problems, thrombocytopenic purpura, thyroid disease, and tuberculosis. Celiac com. (Also see: Symptoms of Scleroderma) |
| Gluten Intolerance Quadruples Susceptibility To Tuberculosis. It affects up to 1% of the population, and has been linked to several autoimmune diseases, as well as an increased likelihood of lymph gland cancer and complications of pregnancy. Medical News Today. 10/17/06.(Also see: Bowel Dysfunction) |
Diagnosis of Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity |
| Some people skip all medical testing and do a trial of a gluten-free diet, to see if it alleviates their symptoms. Doctors object to this approach since it can make an official diagnosis of celiac disease either difficult or impossible. |
| Enterolabs is a certified U.S. laboratory that does stool and DNA testing for gluten sensitivity, direct to patients, which they report as being about 30% more sensitive than blood tests. Enterolab. |
| Can I have gluten sensitivity if screening blood tests for celiac sprue are negative or indeterminate? Yes. Originally screening tests for gluten sensitivity/celiac sprue consisted of blood tests against the damaging protein in gluten called gliadin (antigliadin antibodies). However, with heightened awareness of the possibility of gluten sensitivity in family members of diagnosed celiacs, or in people with syndromes associated with celiac sprue, it has become clear that not all people suspected of being immunologically intolerant to gluten have positive blood tests. Finer Health. |
Diets and Celiac Disease |
| Nutrient intakes during diets including unkilned and large amounts of oats in celiac disease. Large amounts of oats, both kilned and unkilned in gluten-free diet, can increase intakes of nutrients in celiac patients in remission. (PubMed) Kemppainen TA. Eur J Clin Nutr. September 16 2009. |
| A Simple Validated Gluten-Free Diet (GFD) Adherence Survey for Adults With Celiac Disease. The Celiac Dietary Adherence Test (CDAT) is a clinically relevant, easily administered, 7-item instrument that allows for standardized evaluation of GFD adherence and is superior to tissue transglutaminase serology. The CDAT may be useful in both research and clinical settings. D. Leffler. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Vol 7, Issue 5, Pages 530-536.e2 (May 2009). |
| Common Food Allergies. In theory, any food can cause a food allergy. But in fact just a handful of foods are to blame for 90% of allergic reactions to food. These foods are known as the 'big eight'. Medical News Today 05/12/09. (Also see: Diet and Scleroderma) |
Symptoms of Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity |
| Should We Look for Celiac Disease among all Patients with Liver Function Test Abnormalities? Serological screening with IgA anti-tTG antibody test should be routinely performed in patients presenting with abnormal liver function tests (LFT) and especially those with chronic liver diseases including hypertransaminasemia, autoimmune hepatitis, and cryptogenic cirrhosis. Int J Prev Med. 2012 Mar;3(3):167-72. (Also see: Liver Involvement) |
| Back pain and sacroiliitis in long-standing adult celiac disease: a cross-sectional and follow-up study. There have been only scattered reports suggesting that musculoskeletal manifestations including back pain and sacroiliac joint involvement may be associated with celiac disease. In a follow-up study of eight patients, after 11 years on a gluten-free diet, the great majority of patients had no clinical symptoms; yet, a subclinical progression of the sacroiliac joint involvement could be verified. (SpringerLink) E. Vereckei. Rheumatology International. June 6 2009. |
| Do I Have Celiac? Symptom Checklist. Frequently experiencing one or more of the symptoms listed, plus being diagnosed with any one of the diseases or conditions listed—Iron deficiency/ anemia, infertility, depression, osteoporosis or osteopenia, Type 1 diabetes, thyroid disease, Sjogren's, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, intestinal cancer, peripheral neuropathy, Down Syndrome, Turner Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, or Dermatitis herpetiformis, may indicate that you have celiac. National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. |
| What are the symptoms of gluten sensitivity? Although there may be no detectable symptoms of the immune response to gluten, the typical symptoms people develop occur when the reaction begins to damage the intestines. The symptoms, resulting from malabsorption or improper digestion of dietary nutrients, include abdominal bloating or pain, diarrhea, constipation, gaseousness, or nausea with or without vomiting. It appears that acid reflux in the esophagus, manifesting as heartburn, may be a potential symptom as well. Other symptoms people experience include fatigue, joint pains, mouth ulcers, bone pain, abnormal menses in women, and infertility. Finer Health. |
| Signs and Symptoms. There are no typical signs and symptoms of celiac disease. Most people with the disease have general complaints, such as intermittent diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloating. Mayo Clinic. |
| Behçet's disease (BD) associated with celiac disease (CD): a very rare association. There are common findings between Behçet's disease (BD) and celiac disease (CD); however, association in the same patient is a rarity. We relate the third case in the literature of this overlap in a 40-year-old woman with history of obstipation since her childhood. Ascertaining whether pathogenic mechanisms are common in these two conditions requires further investigation. (SpringerLink) C. Augusto Muniz Caldas. Rheumatology International. May 15 2009. (Also see: Behcet's) |
Treatment for Celiac Disease or Gluten Sensitivity |
| Celiac disease: implications for patient management. Through monitoring gluten intake and providing nutritional supplementation, those diagnosed with celiac disease can lead a relatively normal life without complications. Ryan M. (PubMed) Gastroenterol Nurs. 2011 May-Jun. |
| Researchers uncover new clues in celiac disease. A new study published in the journal Nature shows that blocking certain genetic factors may prevent the autoimmune response that causes the condition. Private MD Labs. 02/10/11. |
| Treatment of Celiac Disease at Mayo Clinic. Celiac disease has no cure, but it can be effectively managed by avoiding foods containing gluten (found in wheat, barley and rye). After gluten is eliminated from the diet, the small intestine begins to heal. Mayo Clinic. |
| Celiac Disease (CD) Insights: Clues to Solving Autoimmunity. Surprisingly, essentially the same trio—an environmental trigger, a genetic susceptibility and a “leaky gut”—seems to underlie other autoimmune disorders as well. This finding raises the possibility that new treatments for CD may also ameliorate other conditions. Scientific American Magazine. August 2009. |
Media Articles and Books on Gluten Sensitivity and Celiac Disease |
| Elisabeth Hasselbeck Explains Her Gluten-Free Lifestyle. Read an Excerpt of Her New Book. ABC News. May 5, 2009. |
Personal Stories of Gluten Sensitivity |
| Donna C: Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease (UCTD) For the most part I have still been doing very good. Some little setbacks here and there but for the most part much better... |
| Dorne: Overlap and Possibly CREST Since 2002 I have been diagnosed with Lupus, Sjogren's Disease, B12 deficiency, mild pulmonary hypertension, Celiac disease, Type II diabetes and now the specialists are seriously talking about CREST... |
| James S: Son of Watermelon Stomach Sufferer Last year, my mother was diagnosed as a celiac. Since then a number of other problems have risen to the surface... |
| Joan Elston: Systemic Scleroderma, Sjögren's, and Fibromyalgia I am 61 years of age and live with my husband Bryan in Durban South Africa... |
| Kathy R: Localized Scleroderma I was diagnosed with Localized Scleroderma when I was six months pregnant with my son in 1965. It started at the time with blotches on my right arm... |
