Post by kickingfrog on Aug 5, 2013 8:01:15 GMT
Cambridge University Hospitals
Coeliac disease
Patient Information
...What are the complications of coeliac disease?
Weak bones: One of the vitamins poorly absorbed in coeliac disease is vitamin D,
which is required to keep bones healthy. Patients with untreated coeliac disease can
have weak bones that fracture easily. However, the condition of the bones can be
largely restored by adherence to a strict gluten free diet. Your bone density (strength)
will be measured in the coeliac clinic and additional treatment can be started if
necessary to strengthen the bones. With proper care, the risk of bone fractures in
coeliac disease can be only very slightly higher than in patients without the disease.
Impaired immunity: For reasons that are not well understood, patients with coeliac
disease can be susceptible to certain bacterial infections such as pneumonia and
meningitis. This risk is rapidly reduced to normal levels by adherence to a gluten free
diet.
Cancer: The most feared complication of coeliac disease is the development of cancer
in the small intestine. This is almost certainly the result of longstanding inflammation
and damage in the intestine due to the reaction with gluten occurring over many
years. There are two types of cancer in the intestine of which one – a cancer of the
immune cells called a ‘T-cell lymphoma’ – is almost unique to coeliac disease.
However, this cancer is extremely rare and the risk of this condition is almost
completely removed by adherence to a gluten free diet.
Are there any conditions that are associated with coeliac
disease?
One of the reasons that you will be invited to attend the coeliac clinic for long term
follow up is that there are certain conditions that can be associated with coeliac
disease. Fortunately the majority of these can be treated easily. It is important to
consider the possibility of these developing if you should experience new symptoms
and for the tests to be carried out regularly.
• Dermatitis herpetiformis (or ‘DH’). This is a very rare condition where the
skin is also damaged by eating gluten (it is not due to exposure of the skin to
gluten). It causes an intensely itchy blistering rash, often on the elbows,
buttocks and or knees. While this will get better with a gluten free diet, this
takes some time to respond and there is a drug called ‘Dapsone’ that can be
used to speed up the improvement. However, this drug does not help heal the
intestine.
• ‘Autoimmune conditions’: Patients with coeliac disease actually have a very
well developed immune system – so powerful that it unfortunately attacks
things that it should not, such as gluten! Certain organs can also be targeted by
the body’s own defenses and cause ‘auto-immune’ (or ‘self-immune’) conditions
such as:
o Thyroid disease: The thyroid gland can be either over or underactive.
This is easy to detect with blood tests and easily treated if necessary with
tablets.
Pernicious anaemia: This is due to damage to the lining of the stomach
and results in a loss of vitamin B12 that is essential for making blood.
This can be easily detected with blood tests and treated by an injection
every three months.
o Diabetes: There is an association of diabetes with coeliac disease – but
only the type of diabetes that requires insulin treatment and begins in
early life. Adults that develop celiac disease rarely go on to develop this
type of diabetes, whereas about 1 in 10 diabetic patients may become
coeliac.
o Addison’s disease: This is caused by damage to the gland that
produces the body’s own steroids and can be detected by a simple test,
and treated with tablets to replace the body’s steroid production.
o Rheumatoid disease: This can be caused by an immune reaction to the
joints and requires medications to control the arthritis in the majority of
cases.
o Primary biliary cirrhosis: this is a reaction against the tubes that drain
bile from the liver and can result in itching or yellow discoloration of the
skin (jaundice)....
www.cuh.org.uk/resources/pdf/patient_information_leaflets/PIN1124_coeliac_disease.pdf
Coeliac disease
Patient Information
...What are the complications of coeliac disease?
Weak bones: One of the vitamins poorly absorbed in coeliac disease is vitamin D,
which is required to keep bones healthy. Patients with untreated coeliac disease can
have weak bones that fracture easily. However, the condition of the bones can be
largely restored by adherence to a strict gluten free diet. Your bone density (strength)
will be measured in the coeliac clinic and additional treatment can be started if
necessary to strengthen the bones. With proper care, the risk of bone fractures in
coeliac disease can be only very slightly higher than in patients without the disease.
Impaired immunity: For reasons that are not well understood, patients with coeliac
disease can be susceptible to certain bacterial infections such as pneumonia and
meningitis. This risk is rapidly reduced to normal levels by adherence to a gluten free
diet.
Cancer: The most feared complication of coeliac disease is the development of cancer
in the small intestine. This is almost certainly the result of longstanding inflammation
and damage in the intestine due to the reaction with gluten occurring over many
years. There are two types of cancer in the intestine of which one – a cancer of the
immune cells called a ‘T-cell lymphoma’ – is almost unique to coeliac disease.
However, this cancer is extremely rare and the risk of this condition is almost
completely removed by adherence to a gluten free diet.
Are there any conditions that are associated with coeliac
disease?
One of the reasons that you will be invited to attend the coeliac clinic for long term
follow up is that there are certain conditions that can be associated with coeliac
disease. Fortunately the majority of these can be treated easily. It is important to
consider the possibility of these developing if you should experience new symptoms
and for the tests to be carried out regularly.
• Dermatitis herpetiformis (or ‘DH’). This is a very rare condition where the
skin is also damaged by eating gluten (it is not due to exposure of the skin to
gluten). It causes an intensely itchy blistering rash, often on the elbows,
buttocks and or knees. While this will get better with a gluten free diet, this
takes some time to respond and there is a drug called ‘Dapsone’ that can be
used to speed up the improvement. However, this drug does not help heal the
intestine.
• ‘Autoimmune conditions’: Patients with coeliac disease actually have a very
well developed immune system – so powerful that it unfortunately attacks
things that it should not, such as gluten! Certain organs can also be targeted by
the body’s own defenses and cause ‘auto-immune’ (or ‘self-immune’) conditions
such as:
o Thyroid disease: The thyroid gland can be either over or underactive.
This is easy to detect with blood tests and easily treated if necessary with
tablets.
Pernicious anaemia: This is due to damage to the lining of the stomach
and results in a loss of vitamin B12 that is essential for making blood.
This can be easily detected with blood tests and treated by an injection
every three months.
o Diabetes: There is an association of diabetes with coeliac disease – but
only the type of diabetes that requires insulin treatment and begins in
early life. Adults that develop celiac disease rarely go on to develop this
type of diabetes, whereas about 1 in 10 diabetic patients may become
coeliac.
o Addison’s disease: This is caused by damage to the gland that
produces the body’s own steroids and can be detected by a simple test,
and treated with tablets to replace the body’s steroid production.
o Rheumatoid disease: This can be caused by an immune reaction to the
joints and requires medications to control the arthritis in the majority of
cases.
o Primary biliary cirrhosis: this is a reaction against the tubes that drain
bile from the liver and can result in itching or yellow discoloration of the
skin (jaundice)....
www.cuh.org.uk/resources/pdf/patient_information_leaflets/PIN1124_coeliac_disease.pdf