Clinical features of coeliac disease today

Coeliac disease is an inflammatory disorder of the small intestine induced by dietary gluten. This frequently results in malabsorption of a range of i mportant nutrients including iron, folic acid, calcium and fat-soluble vita mins. Coeliac disease in now considered to be a common disorder, possibly a ffecting 1:300 of the general popuation. Many patients present in adulthood , have minimal symptoms, and gastrointestinal manifestations are frequently absent. The diagnosis and screening for coeliac disease has been dramatica lly facilitated by testing for endomysial autoantibodies, although biopsy a nd demonstration of a characteristic histological lesion remains the defini tive diagnostic investigation. Treatment with a gluten-free diet is effecti ve but requires good patient compliance and monitoring to succeed. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.