The Rising Prevalence of Celiac Disease

Celiac disease, the condition which assails those with increased sensitivity to gluten proteins contained in wheat, is characterized by severe stomach ailments alongside a few other symptoms. The disease, which can be diagnosed at any point of the patient’s life, is more common in adulthood, and though it is a lifelong condition with no known cure, it can be easily controlled by adopting a gluten-free diet and following medical treatment for the symptoms.

Up until a few years ago in 2015, it was believed that this disease was rare, affecting only about 1% of the population. However, a study by gastroenterologist Edwin Liu that spanned over 2 decades, and which observed over 1,300 babies born in the Children’s Hospital Colorado in Denver, suggested that the prevalence of celiac disease might actually be higher than what was believed years before. By studying the genes linked to gluten sensitivity, Liu discovered a new issue that undermined what was thought to be the prevalence of celiac disease at the time. Instead of the initial 1% prevalence, Liu discovered that the true number of patients affected with celiac disease, or that would develop the condition at some point in their lives was actually closer to 3%, and that’s only limited to the Denver area, which suggests that the real prevalence might be equal or higher when considering the entirety of the United States. To put matters into perspective, a 3% prevalence equals around 3,000 out of 100,000 new cases of patients affected by the disease every year, which is very surprising considering the what was originally thought to be the prevalence.

The paper, which is currently published in Gastroenterology, took the medical community by surprise, as the difference between the old and new prevalences are threefold. However, regardless of the difficulty to believe the news, the results from this study successfully correlate with trends in the United States, as well as worldwide, which dismisses the belief that this issue would only be limited to the area in which it was observed.

About celiac disease

As was mentioned above, celiac disease is a condition characterized by sensitivity to gluten proteins contained mainly in wheat, rye, and barley. This sensitivity is manifested through symptoms such as ongoing fatigue and depression, as well as intense abdominal pains, sensations of bloating, flatulence, and diarrhea moments after consuming the protein.

For this reason, celiac disease was mistakenly confused with a common food allergy. However, it’s main difference revolves around the fact that, instead of the mass production of immunoglobulin E antibodies, and mast cell activation (in the case of food allergies), celiac symptoms are triggered by the engagement of both innate and adaptive immune pathways. Consequently, antibodies that target not only gluten but other vital proteins as well, are produced. For this reason, celiac disease is commonly considered an autoimmune condition that, if not treated, may lead to the body’s self-destruction, starting with the intestinal lining, which is one of the first structures attacked by T cells, observed in a thinning of the gut wall after the consumption of gluten, even in minimal amounts.