Coeliac disease, also known as coeliac sprue or gluten-sensitive enteropathy, is a chronic disease of the digestive tract that interferes with the digestion and absorption of food nutrients. People with coeliac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein commonly found in wheat, rye, barley, and, sometimes, oats. When people with coeliac disease ingest gluten, the mucosa of their intestines is damaged by an immunologically mediated inflammatory response, resulting in maldigestion and malabsorption. Coeliac disease has a strong hereditary component. The prevalence of the condition in first-degree relatives is approximately 10%. Absence of intestinal villi and lengthening of intestinal crypts characterise mucosal lesions in untreated coeliac disease. More lymphocytes infiltrate the epithelium (intraepithelial lymphocytes).

Symptoms & Signs

• Chronic diarrhoea
• Steatorrhea
• Abdominal bloating or cramps
• Flatulence
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Anaemia
• Bleeding diathesis
• Osteopenia
• Seizure disorders
• Stunted growth and failure to thrive

• Strong genetic component (70% concordance in identical twins)
• Common with Western European ancestry, rare in Asians and Africans
• Incidence peaks 8-12 months and 3rd -4th decade
• Incidence of coeliac disease is slightly higher in females than in males.