Everyone Healthy Library
Celiac Sprue
Also Known As: Celiac Disease; Gluten Sensitive Enteropathy (GSE)
Condition / disease reference page from the Everyone Healthy database.
! Seek urgent medical care if warning signs appear
Some health conditions or symptoms can become urgent. Use this page for education, but seek help quickly if warning signs are present.
Get urgent medical care now if there is any severe, sudden, rapidly worsening or worrying symptom, especially:
- chest pain, pressure or pain spreading to the arm, jaw or back
- trouble breathing, blue lips, severe wheeze or choking
- stroke-like symptoms such as face drooping, arm weakness or speech trouble
- collapse, fainting, seizure, confusion or extreme drowsiness
- severe bleeding, black stools, vomiting blood or major injury
- severe allergic reaction, swelling of the face/throat or widespread rash with breathing trouble
- severe abdominal pain, severe headache, stiff neck or sudden vision change
- signs of severe dehydration, sepsis, high fever with worsening illness, or symptoms in a baby/young child that concern you
Connected health information
Explore this condition in a clear order
Linked signs and symptoms
19Each sign/symptom opens its own page and links back to related conditions.
- Abdominal Swelling
- Appetite Loss (Anorexia)
- Blood Pressure Below Normal (Hypotension)
- Constipation
- Dehydration
- Diarrhoea (Diarrhea)
- Fatigue
- Growth Impairment or Stunted
- Mind: Anxiety
- Mind: Depression
- Mind: Lethargy
- Mouth Ulcer
- Muscle Deterioration (Rhabdomyolysis)
- Pain Abdominal
- Pain Joint (Arthralgia)
- Skin Itching
- Skin Rash
- Skin: Pale, Lack of Colour (Pallid Complexion)
- Weakness
Linked drugs / medications
0No linked drugs are listed yet.
Treatments, therapies and supportive options
1Grouped by treatment type. These are educational database links, not personal treatment recommendations. Evidence labels are shown only where stored in the EH database.
Linked diagnostic tests and investigations
18These are pulled from both EH diagnostic-test link tables, including the older large test-link table.
- Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) Concentration
- Biopsy
- Blood Tests
- Blood Urea Nitrogen Tests
- Blood Uric Acid Concentration Test
- Coagulation Testing
- complete Blood Count (CBC)
- D Xylose Absorption Test (Xylose Tolerance)
- D Xylose Absorption Test (Xylose Tolerance)
- Fecal Fat Determination (Fat Absorption Test, Fecal Fat Stain)
- Folic Acid (Folate) Concentration
- Folic Acid (Folate) Concentration
- pathergy Test
- scratch-N-Sniff Odor Tests
- Stool Reducing Sugars Concentration
- Testosterone Concentration
- Urine Oxalate Concentration (24 Hour)
- Vitamin B12 (VB12) Concentration
Biological markers/agents
12This visual map shows biological markers/agents reported as increased or decreased with this condition. These are educational relationships only; test results must be interpreted by a qualified clinician because ranges vary by lab, method, age, sex and clinical context.
Often increased
4- Fecal FatReference range exampleAll: 1,000–7,000 mg/24hrsLinked diagnostic testsFecal Fat Determination (Fat Absorption Test, Fecal Fat Stain)
- Stool Reducing SugarsReference range exampleAll: 0–0.25 gm/dLLinked diagnostic testsStool Reducing Sugars Concentration
- TestosteroneReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 0.8–1.65 nmol/L; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 15–24.4 nmol/LLinked diagnostic testsTestosterone Concentration
- Urine OxalateReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 5–30 mg/24hrs; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 7–43 mg/24hrsLinked diagnostic testsUrine Oxalate Concentration (24 Hour)
Often decreased
8- Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 30–125 units/L; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 40–110 units/LLinked diagnostic testsAlkaline Phosphatase (ALP) Concentration
- Blood Urea NitrogenReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 6–18 mg/dL; Child (< 10y): 5–15 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsBlood Urea Nitrogen Tests
- D Xylose (Blood Concentration, 1 Hour Post Administration)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 20–100 mg/dL; Adult ( > 16y): 20–60 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsD Xylose Absorption Test (Xylose Tolerance)
- D Xylose (Blood Concentration, 2 Hours Post Administratio)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 20–60 mg/dL; Adult ( > 16y): 30–60 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsD Xylose Absorption Test (Xylose Tolerance)
- D Xylose (Urine, Percentage of Total Administered, After 5 Hours)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 16–32 %; Adult ( > 16y): 16–50 %Linked diagnostic testsD Xylose Absorption Test (Xylose Tolerance)
- Folic Acid (Folate)Reference range exampleInfant (0 - 1y): 14–51 ng/mL; Child (0 - 16y): 5–21 ng/mLLinked diagnostic testsFolic Acid (Folate) Concentration
- Uric Acid, BloodReference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Female: 2.5–7 mg/dL; Adult ( > 16y), Male: 4–8 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsBlood Uric Acid Concentration Test
- Vitamin B12 (VB12)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 130–670 pmol/LLinked diagnostic testsVitamin B12 (VB12) Concentration
Introduction / full article
Celiac Sprue
Coeliac (Celiac) disease
Celiac sprue is a long term disease condition that involves food digestion and absorption. Gluten is a term used to refer to a protein available in some foods like wheat and rye. Individuals with celiac sprue cannot tolerate this type of protein thus malabsorption ensues. [1]
Epidemiology
1 in 3000 people is affected in the U.S. The highest prevalence is recorded at European countries such as Ireland and Finland. Diagnosed individuals are either very young (less than 1 year old) or in the third to fourth decade of life. Females are more commonly affected. [2]
Causes
Celiac sprue is genetically associated. [2] A person can be affected at any age. Celiac sprue most frequently occurs among Europeans and Caucasians usually females. Those with the disease are more prone to develop other medical conditions such as Down syndrome, diabetes type 1, malignancies in the digestive tract, autoimmune diseases and malabsorption syndromes like lactose intolerance. [3]
Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms vary. A person can have diarrhea or constipation. Nonspecific symptoms include abdominal pain, appetite loss, nausea and vomiting. Because the condition is a malabsorption type, a person can experience symptoms referable to lack of vitamins and minerals such as stunting, ulcers in the mouth area, hair loss, easy bruising, loss of sensation, weakness and skin itchiness. An individual can also develop hormonal and skin disorders. [2] [3]
Diagnosis
Blood tests are performed. The most sensitive exam is a test for antibodies. Upper endoscopy is often done in order to visualize the digestive tract and to obtain sample after. Laboratory exams that may be carried out include obtaining the albumin, alkaline phosphatase, liver enzymes and serum cholesterol. Stool exams, oral tolerance tests and genetic exams also help. Sometimes imaging studies are requested such as a barium test. [2] [3]
Treatment
The chief means to address celiac sprue is by controlling the diet which necessitates the removal of gluten. Corticosteroids can be given in particular to those who do not have symptom improvement with gluten elimination. Vitamin and mineral supplements are also given in order to address nutritional deficits. [2]
References:
1. http://www.emedicinehealth.com/celiac_sprue/article_em.htm
2. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/171805-overview
3. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000233.htm