Complications
- The risk for malignant disease is increased in patients with celiac disease.
- These malignancies include adenocarcinoma of the oropharynx, esophagus, pancreas, small and large bowel, and hepatobiliary tract.
- Other malignancies with an increased incidence in patients with celiac disease are enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma with a poor prognosis and T- and B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
- A study in Sweden reported increased cataract risk (hazard ratio = 1.28) in patients with celiac disease compared with age-matched and sex-matched controls.[9]
- Refractory celiac disease occurs in approximately 5% of patients despite strict adherence to a gliadin-free diet.
- Refractory celiac disease is characterized by symptoms of malabsorption, weight loss, diarrhea, abdominal distention, and anemia.
- Refractory celiac disease is subdivided into two types: type 1 is characterized by a normal intraepithelial lymphocyte phenotype, and type 2 is characterized with an increased number of intraepithelial lymphocytes, possibly due to an increase in epithelial interleukin 15 expression.
Prognosis
- The prognosis for patients with correctly diagnosed and treated celiac sprue is excellent.
- The prognosis for patients with celiac sprue who are not responding to gluten withdrawal and corticosteroid treatment is generally poor.
Patient Education
- For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Esophagus, Stomach, and Intestine Center and Teeth and Mouth Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education articles Celiac Sprue, Anatomy of the Digestive System, and Canker Sores.
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