Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease whereby the organism produces antibodies that attack its own tissues. This process is induced by the protein, gluten, contained in wheat, rye and barley. Certain persons with celiac disease also react to oat. The incidence of celiac disease in the population is very high, with every two hundredth or three hundredth person being affected. In the Czech Republic, this is around 40 000 people. If celiac disease remains undiagnosed and untreated, those affected are at risk of growth disorders, delayed puberty, more frequent abortions, disorders of sperm production in men, infertility, epilepsy or depression. After ten years of disease duration, cancer occurs in up to 15% of these patients.
Symptoms
Weight loss, diarrhoea, vomiting, anorexia, fatigue, bone pain, abdominal pain, weakness, anaemia, muscle cramps, moodiness. Children may suffer from lack of concentration, problems with their teeth, problems of growth and development. Untreated celiac disease increases the risk of so-called Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (aggressive cancer of the lymph nodes) and probably also of colon cancer.
Causes
Hereditary predisposition and the presence of a trigger are fundamentally important for the development of celiac disease. The trigger may be stress, trauma or a viral infection. In persons who suffer from celiac disease, consumption of gluten leads to many adverse health manifestations, a decrease in immunity and inflammation of the intestines. The latter leads to the destruction of intestinal villi, protrusions of the intestinal mucosa that represent the surface necessary for digestion. Patients thus suffer from nutrient, enzyme, vitamin and mineral deficiency. Lack of nutrients leads to osteoporosis, rickets, oedema, anaemia, glucose absorption disorders, which leads to further digestive problems.
Prevention
The only possible prevention is a gluten-free diet. Early diagnosis offered by GenScan is very important for initiating an early gluten-free diet.
Treatment
The only currently available treatment of celiac disease is a “gluten-free diet”. Preparation of this diet involves the use of Soya, rice or corn flour, or of commercial food products marked as gluten-free. The patient’s food must not include any gluten contained in classical cereals, which must be excluded from the diet totally. Currently, it is impossible to cure celiac disease.
How can GenScan reveal the risk of developing celiac disease?
The GenScan genetic analysis tests the so-called HLA system, which is associated with the predisposition to celiac disease. It warns of possible risks and in the case of a predisposition it explains current health problems. On the basis of GenScan results, one may eventually recommend a diet and other examinations that will limit the late consequences of the disease, especially cancer.