COELIAC DISEASE IN ADULT PATIENTS

Key words: Coeliac disease, Iron deficiency anemia, Osteoporosis

The clinical features of coeliac disease diagnosed in a series of 517 adult patients are described. The most frequent signs and symptoms are iron deficiency anemia, which is particularly prevalent among women, bone demineralization, diarrohea and malnutrition. Autoimmune thyroiditis (25%) and chronic arthritis (23%) were also quite frequent. Abnormal levels of aminotransferases together with ultrasound evidence of liver steatosis are also a rather frequent finding. Miscarriages are 9 times more frequent in untreated coeliac women than in the normal population. These conditions represent as a whole a major burden of disease and should be prevented or cured by an earlier diagnosis.