Celiac.com 07/10/2007 - This study demonstrates that people with celiac disease face an elevated risk of glomerulonephritis. Multiple studies have shown higher levels of celiac disease auto-antibodies in patients with renal disease; and certain renal disease will improve on a low-antigenic diet that is gluten-free. Not much is understood about the risk of severe renal disease such as renal failure in individuals with celiac disease.

In a general population based cohort study, a team of researchers set out to assess the individuals with celiac disease for any form of glomerulonephritis (acute, chronic and non- specified), chronic glomerulonephritis and renal replacement therapy including dialysis treatment and kidney transplantation.
The research team was made up of Anders Ekbom, Michael Fored, Jonas F. Ludvigsson, Johnny Ludvigsson, Nders ekbom, Ola Ole, & Scott M. Montgomery.

They looked at data from 14,336 patients who were diagnosed with celiac disease between 1964 and 2003. Patients were chosen from the Swedish Hospital Discharge Registry. They established a control group of 69,875 individuals matched for age, calendar year, sex and county.

Higher Risk of Glomerulonephritis for Celiac Patients

The results showed that patients with celiac disease face an increased risk of developing chronic renal disease, and may also be at a face a slightly higher risk for any form of glomerulonephritis.

Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 2006 21(7):1809-1815

health writer who lives in San Francisco and is a frequent author of articles for Celiac.com.

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