Celiac Disease Research Paper

The exact cause of celiac disease is not known, but scientists have found that it is genetic, meaning that if someone in your family has celiac then you have a high percent chance of having it too (The Mayo Clinic Staff, 2011). Even though there is no known cause of this disease, scientists do know that in a person without celiac the

Celiac disease is primarily a digestive condition triggered by consumption of the protein gluten resulting in an immune reaction in the small intestine, which leads to inability to absorb certain

Celiac disease (CD) is marked by an inability to absorb gluten. Gluten, also known as glutenin, is a protein found in “wheat, rye, barley, spelt, and triticale” (Turner and Torkos). The problem with the disease is that it is an “autoimmune disorder in which the immune system responds to gluten by damaging the small intestine” (Turner and Torkos). This damage to the small intestine is “characterized by villous atrophy” in people who are “genetically susceptible” (Parnell and Ciclitira). The disorder may latent for years and then suddenly cause horrendous symptoms that may be misdiagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome. There is danger in a misdiagnosis because many high fiber foods used to help control irritable bowel syndrome are gluten

Celiac disease is different from other food allergies. Celiac disease is where the small intestine is diseased. A person with celiac accidentally consumes something with gluten will be more likely to have intestinal problems such as constipation, gas, and diarrhea (Liu, Dong, Barón, Taki, Norris, Frohnert, & Rewers 2017). Symptoms of the condition include abdominal pain, nausea, anemia, heartburn, weight loss, mouth ulcers, and headaches.

Dermatitis herpetiformis is an extremely itchy rash made of bumps and blisters. The rash is chronic, which means it continues over a long period of time. Celiac disease is a condition that damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents it from absorbing parts of food that are important for staying healthy. The damage is due to a reaction to eating gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats. Dermatitis herpetiformis and celiac disease are very similar in the way that they both have similar nutritional deficiencies but they are two different disorders. Both dermatitis herpetiformis and celiac disease react positively to a gluten free diet meaning the symptoms usually dissipate.

     There are such a vast variety of symptoms in celiac that it can be very hard to diagnose. Symptoms may or may not be in the abdomen. One person can have diarrhea or abdominal pain while another has irritability and depression. Irritability is the most common symptom in children. Some symptoms of the disease are:

Celiac’s disease is a digestive and autoimmune disorder that happens when you eat foods that contain gluten. An autoimmune system happens when your body mistakenly attacks its own tissues, because it thinks it’s bad (http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Autoimmune-Disease.aspx). So, your immune system reacts to the gluten, as it harms something called villi, which is in your small intestine (http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/celiac-disease/celiac-disease). Villi are lined all around your intestine, and they are very important. They look like little, tiny hairs, and they absorb all of the nutrients you need! Because they get damaged, though, nutrients can’t be absorbed, and you may end up being malnourished, even if you eat a lot!

It is where the immune system reacts abnormally to gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats), causing bowel damage. The villi which line the bowel become inflamed and flattened (referred to as villous atrophy). Villous atrophy reduces the surface area of the bowel which is available for nutrient absorption, this can lead to various gastrointestinal and malabsorptive symptoms.

Neurological problems have also been associated with celiac disease; these include migraine headaches, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and recurrent seizures (epilepsy). Many people with celiac disease have one or more of these varied health problems but do not have gastrointestinal symptoms. This form of the condition is called non classic celiac disease. Researchers now believe that nonclassic celiac disease is actually more common than the classic form.

Celiac disease (CD) is defined as a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by small intestine mucosal damage in response to the ingestion of dietary gluten (proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye) in genetically predisposed individuals that improves with strict adherence to a gluten-free diet (Kelly, et al., 2015; Woodward, 2016; Meyer & Rosenblum, 2016; Isaac, et al. 2016; & Hill, 2016). Ludvigsson, et al. (2013) explain that while the symptoms of celiac disease have been described in medical literature for over 100 years, it was not until the 1940s that Dutch physician Dicke made the association of gluten exposure to the symptoms now associated with CD (p. 43). This paper will explore characteristics of the disease, as well as the current treatments and role of the primary care provider in caring for afflicted children.

What is Celiac Disease and what is the percent of individuals who have the disease?

Celiac disease can effect a person at any age, however the onset is most common in children and adults. Depending on the length of duration a child is breastfed and the quantity of gluten in their diet, children can be predisposed to celiac disease. Adults normal begin to see the onset of the disease around the age of 30, but stress, surgery or childbirth can cause the onset to be sooner. (Gaur et al, 2013, para. 2) Though there are many gene mutations linked to celiac disease, it’s the combination of these genetic mutations and diet of a specific individual that creates the onset. (Gaur et al, 2013, para. 3) Onset of celiac disease can cause symptoms such as the following: diarrhea, abdominal cramping, pain and distension. In infants there can also be symptoms of failure

Gluten sensitivity is a condition in which your body does not react well to foods that contain the protein gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye. It differs from the more serious celiac disease, which is an autoimmune disorder that destroys the lining of the intestines, resulting in poor absorption of essential vitamins and minerals. Unchecked celiac disease, in fact, can lead to cancer. However, gluten sensitivity does not lead to these complications, although it can cause you great gastrointestinal discomfort. According to the WebMd website, you may present with bloating and pain, but you may also experience symptoms outside the gastrointestinal tract, such as fatigue. If you have any symptoms that suggest that something is amiss in your intestinal tract, you should see a doctor--the sooner, the better.

When one with celiac disease ingests gluten, one’s body creates an automatic response that attacks the small intestine. Those attacks lead to destruction of the villi. Villi are fingerlike projections that help the body absorb nutrients and are line the small intestine. When the villi are destroyed, nutrients cannot be absorbed properly, which can lead to nutrient depletion in the body. Celiac disease mainly affects genetically predisposed people, meaning the disease is hereditary. (What is Celiac Disease, 1) “People with a first-degree relative with celiac disease (parent, child, sibling) have a 1 in 10 risk of developing celiac disease” (What is Celiac Disease, 1). Studies have shown that the disease affects only 1% of the United States population, and 97% of those who have it are undiagnosed (Bryan, 11). Those who are undiagnosed also have a greater risk of developing another autoimmune disorder (What is Celiac Disease,

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