Gluten-free diet improves iron-deficiency anaemia in patients with coeliacdisease

Two cases of newly-diagnosed asymptomatic coeliac disease with 3 years of u nexplained severe iron-deficiency anaemia are presented. Oral iron suppleme ntation had no effect on their serum iron levels and, therefore, had no inf luence on their anaemia. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy confirmed normal macroscopic findings, Duodenal biopsies revealed subtotal villous atrophy o f the mucosa of the small intestine. A strict gluten-free diet led to an in crease in serum iron, resolution of anaemia, and restitution of normal muco sal morphology, Thus, severe iron-deficiency anaemia associated with asympt omatic coeliac disease is responsible to gluten-free diet.