Article By Harvard Folks

[queenofhearts]

Thought folks might be interested in this

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[mouse]

This article was in my local newspaper which I just read today. I don't know, but I just did not connect to the article and felt things were missing. I did not like the part about needing the biopsy to prove you have Celiac, even if the blood test came back positive. I just feel that the biopsy is way too iffy for a definative answer. I was glad that my small town newspaper did have the article as anything that brings it to peoples attention is a positive sign.

[Lisa]

Leah

Good article to send to people close to us in simplistic form. A good source. thanks for posting, and I will print it out and pass it out.

Lisa

[eKatherine]

It's very important to verify the diagnosis, because the treatment for celiac disease requires staying on a gluten-free diet for the rest of your life. Doing so can be challenging and costly. Also, it's a bad idea to try a gluten-free diet on your own before getting a firm diagnosis. That's because the blood tests are accurate only if you are eating gluten-containing foods.

Horrors, if somebody were to go on a gluten-free diet and not only find it's not costly, but end up not paying for expensive testing. Can't have that.

People with recurring, unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms such as pain, bloating or diarrhea should consider testing for celiac disease. So should people with iron-deficiency anemia or high levels of certain liver enzymes that don't seem to be caused by other problems. Women who develop osteoporosis before menopause also might want to ask their doctors about getting tested.

Since when should patients have to tell the doctor how to treat them according to best practice? And how many people have tried this and had the doctor refuse?

[gfp]

Its just the typical uneducated BS.

It's more common among people with ancestors from Europe -- especially those from Italy, Ireland and the Scandinavian countries.

No it isn't the diagnosis rate migh tbe higher since these countries screen but the incidence in screening for Italy is exactly the same as the US. (1:133)

As I took pains to point out on another thread there is no genetic "Italian"... they don't exist.

Ireland? Well lets forget it was occupied by Celts from about the 8th C AD (originating from the near East) and the fact that the first inhabitants were merely people walking over the landbridge in paleolithic times...

and that the Celts arrived in different waves having diverged across Europe North and South .... and jump to post Roman Hibernia and the Scandanavian cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Waterford. (making up a large percentage of the Irish population)

so lets jump to 1172 when the pope sold Ireland to Henry II following years of French/English/Norman blood being introdcued right up to the complete collapse of gaelic society in the 17C.

So lets not forget that it was a Welshman (Henry VIII) that then re-exerted control.. up to 1601 and the Irish rebellion to the point where the Scots independentaly invaded and colonised the North....

anyway when the Armada was blown off course Ireland was a refuge for those escaping Henry's daughter ...thus introducing more "Spanish blood" which is itself a non existant thing....

Its a shame when an institution like Haarvard doesn't even know history 101....

[queenofhearts]

I also felt there were some very fuzzy statements in this one, & thought some of you might want to reply to the article as the site allows. But I still find it encouraging that some form of information is trickling out into the mainstream press...

I guess newspaper readers these days are themselves a minority, but at least some will have heard that Celiac exists & have some vague concept of what gluten is...

[marciab]

I just posted a comment in response to their line about it taking 11 years to diagnose celiac. Can you believe some place like Harvard would think that was acceptable ??

AAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh !!!! What are they thinking ??

[gfp]

I also felt there were some very fuzzy statements in this one, & thought some of you might want to reply to the article as the site allows. But I still find it encouraging that some form of information is trickling out into the mainstream press...

I guess newspaper readers these days are themselves a minority, but at least some will have heard that Celiac exists & have some vague concept of what gluten is...

To me they obfusciated a fact and not perhaps without motive.

The fact is the prevalance of celiac disease is exactly the same (or US researches took Italian data)...

What is different is the screening of all kids.

Given we have already seen a "screening doesn't work" study... (GRRR) one has to wonder if this isn't funded by the same people who decided testing downs syndrome kids is a waste of money.

[ravenwoodglass]

Its just the typical uneducated BS.

No it isn't the diagnosis rate migh tbe higher since these countries screen but the incidence in screening for Italy is exactly the same as the US. (1:133)

As I took pains to point out on another thread there is no genetic "Italian"... they don't exist.

Ireland? Well lets forget it was occupied by Celts from about the 8th C AD (originating from the near East) and the fact that the first inhabitants were merely people walking over the landbridge in paleolithic times...

and that the Celts arrived in different waves having diverged across Europe North and South .... and jump to post Roman Hibernia and the Scandanavian cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Waterford. (making up a large percentage of the Irish population)

so lets jump to 1172 when the pope sold Ireland to Henry II following years of French/English/Norman blood being introdcued right up to the complete collapse of gaelic society in the 17C.

So lets not forget that it was a Welshman (Henry VIII) that then re-exerted control.. up to 1601 and the Irish rebellion to the point where the Scots independentaly invaded and colonised the North....

anyway when the Armada was blown off course Ireland was a refuge for those escaping Henry's daughter ...thus introducing more "Spanish blood" which is itself a non existant thing....

Its a shame when an institution like Haarvard doesn't even know history 101....

[ms-sillyak-screwed]

?

[queenofhearts]

Sorry, I'm not a subscriber either. It must have been only temporarily accessible, because I could read it before but not now.

[marciab]

I found this link on the dailystrength.org website. Under the question "Can you develop celiac disease as an adult ? "

I'm pretty sure this is the original article from Harvard.

Celiac disease can develop later in life

Q: Can you develop celiac disease as an adult?

A: Yes, you can. In fact, the average age of diagnosis for this disease is 46 years. People with celiac disease cannot eat anything made with wheat, barley or rye. These grains all contain gluten, a type of protein. When people with celiac disease eat gluten, it causes a reaction similar to an allergy in their intestines. This can lead to abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea and fatigue. In people with severe forms of the disease, the diarrhea can cause life-threatening dehydration.

You might think that people with celiac disease would be diagnosed when they're very young, as soon as they start eating cereal or other foods with gluten. But that's not the case. You inherit the tendency for the disease from your parents. But not everyone with this tendency develops symptoms right away. The symptoms can appear at any time during a person's life and can cause different problems at different ages. Very young children usually have diarrhea and vomiting and don't grow normally. Older children and teens may complain of stomach pain or canker sores. They may also be cranky or depressed. Some people diagnosed as adults recall having symptoms during childhood, but many don't. People who don't develop symptoms until later in life usually experience some condition or problem beforehand. For example, a viral infection (such as stomach flu), pregnancy, surgery or even severe stress may cause a person with celiac disease to start showing symptoms.

Until quite recently, doctors thought celiac disease was rare. But experts now estimate about 1 in 133 people in the United States have celiac disease, although many have only mild symptoms from it. It's more common among people with ancestors from Europe - especially those from Italy, Ireland and the Scandinavian countries.

The name "celiac" comes from the Latin word for abdomen. But the disease can cause symptoms throughout the body. That's because if the intestine is damaged, it can't adequately absorb nutrients such as iron, calcium and vitamin D. So untreated celiac disease can cause other problems, such as low levels of iron (iron-deficiency anemia) and thin, weak bones (osteoporosis). And more than half of people with celiac disease don't have gastrointestinal complaints. Instead, they show signs of anemia or fatigue. Another problem is that the typical symptoms of celiac disease are very similar to other, more common illnesses, such as irritable bowel syndrome. These difficulties help explain why it takes an average of 11 years to be diagnosed with celiac disease after the symptoms first appear.

Several different blood tests are used to diagnose celiac disease. The most sensitive test is called a tTG-IgA screening test. It can identify people who are at risk for celiac disease even if they have no symptoms. If blood tests suggest that a person has celiac disease, doctors recommend a second test to confirm the diagnosis. For this test, the doctor removes a tiny piece of the lining of the intestine, through a thin tube passed down the throat.

It's very important to verify the diagnosis, because the treatment for celiac disease requires staying on a gluten-free diet for the rest of your life. Doing so can be challenging and costly. Also, it's a bad idea to try a gluten-free diet on your own before getting a firm diagnosis. That's because the blood tests are accurate only if you are eating gluten-containing foods.

People with recurring, unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms such as pain, bloating or diarrhea should consider testing for celiac disease. So should people with iron-deficiency anemia or high levels of certain liver enzymes that don't seem to be caused by other problems. Women who develop osteoporosis before menopause also might want to ask their doctors about getting tested. Celiac disease has also been linked to infertility and unexplained, recurrent miscarriages. Some doctors recommend that parents, siblings and children of people with celiac disease undergo testing. Between 5 percent to 15 percent of close relatives of an affected person are likely to have the disease, too.

The good news is that the only treatment for celiac disease - a gluten-free diet - starts to work within days. And the small intestine usually heals completely within three to six months. Giving up favorite foods such as wheat breads and pizza can be tough at first. Many gluten-free foods are available by mail order and on the Internet, and gluten-free items are becoming more common in supermarkets and restaurants.

Harvard Medical School faculty members write this column. To submit questions, e-mail www.health.harvard.edu/adviser.

[ms-sillyak-screwed]

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