What is Celiac Disease?
From ancient Greeks, the known occurrence of Celiac Disease has been reported. The word Celiac refers to “Abdomen,” and hence Celiac Disease as we know it today is the autoimmune disorder of the intestines caused by the consumption of Gluten. This is the same protein that is mostly found in grains like wheat, barley, rye and is responsible for making the dough elastic and providing a chewy texture to the bread. Patients suffering from Celiac Disease experience issues in their digestion and bowels as Gluten reacts hyperactively with their body and, in turn, damages the villi of the small intestine.
Symptoms
Diarrhea, bloating, excess gas, fatigue, weight loss, Iron-Deficiency Anemia, Constipation, Itchy Rash, and Depression are common symptoms of Celiac Disease. The long-term effects of Celiac Disease include loss of bone density, miscarriage, infertility, or even neurological diseases or certain cancers.India shares the most significant burden of Diabetic patients, and the comorbidity ranges from diet complications to abnormal hormone levels. Malnutrition which is endemic to the Indian population plays a crucial role in increasing the comorbidities with stunted growth, chronic diarrhea, and underweight.
The global prevalence of Celiac disease is around 1%. In India, it is more prevalent in the North Indian population, where wheat is primarily the staple cereal. Only recently has it been found to be evident in the South Indian population. In recent studies, the celiac disease’s prevalence is doubling every 20 years, which could be due to multiple reasons like increased consumption of wheat, usage of the new strain of wheat, which is considered more antigenic, increased use of antibiotics, etc.
Diagnostic Solutions
Tests like the Antiendomysial antibody (EMA) test, Tissue transglutaminase (tTG) based test, and Deamidated Gliadin peptide (DGP) test have formed the bulk of Celiac Serology. Experts have been advocating the combined use of serology and biopsy because of the limitations of both the testing domains. While duodenal biopsy is the gold standard for testing Celiac Disease, it is limited to late diagnosis, and hence for early detection, the serological kits take predominance. Both RDT or ELISA hold an advantage over the Anti-endomysial test (EMA) as they are not labor-intensive and don’t require any waiting period for the patients. To add to the Lab and the patient’s benefit, the ELISA test has the option of reporting in both Semi-Quantitative and Quantitative modes.
Treatment
Although there’s no complete treatment for chronic cases, for all other acute conditions and comorbid conditions, the road to recovery requires the patient to be introduced to the consumption of a Gluten-Free Diet (GFD) over a while. Intake of GFD ensures that the intestinal mucosa returns to normalcy and accordingly decreases the incidence of Hypoglycemia.