Celiac Disease - a Comprehensive Review

Celiac disease is a multisystemic autoimmune disease induced by gluten in wheat, rye and barley. It is characterized by polygenic predisposition, prevailing prevalence in members of the white population (1%), especially in close relatives (5-15%), very heterogeneous expression and frequent association with other autoimmune diseases (3-10%), as well as selective deficiency of IgA and Down, Turner and Williams syndromes. The basis of the disease and the key finding in its diagnostics is gluten-sensitive enteropathy, i.e., non-specific inflammation of the small intestinal mucosa which resolves by gluten-free diet. In addition to enteropathy, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic, the disease is also characterized by various extraintestinal manifestations, and even very serious complications. Therapy is based on a lifelong gluten-free diet, so that the disorder, if diagnosed in time and treated consistently, has an excellent prognosis.