Association of asymptomatic celiac disease and Crohn's disease

A 24-year-old woman had Crohn's colitis which had been diagnosed in 1997. T he patient was given sulfazalazine and responded well. Antiendomysial and a ntigliadin antibodies were positive. Diagnosis of celiac disease was confir med by duodenal biospy showing villous atrophy and an increased number of l ymphocytes infiltrating the epithelium. Few cases associating Crohn's disease and celiac disease have been reported . This case illustrates the complexity of the pathogenic mechanisms in thes e two disease, Our patient required a gluten-free diet although the celiac disease was asymptomatic, basically to avoid the risk of malignancy associa ted with celiac disease.