Coeliac disease Flashcards
What is coeliac disease?
Chronic immune mediated systemic disorder in genetically predisposed people, triggered by exposure to dietary gluten
Characterised by inflammatory small bowel enteropathy + presence of coeliac specific autoantibodies
What is potential coeliac disease?
Symptomatic or asymptomatic with AB positivity for coeliac disease, but no villous atrophy on duodenal biopsy
Non responsive vs refractory coeliac disease
Non responsive - persistent symptoms + enteropathy don’t respond after 6-12 months gluten free diet
Refractory - persisitent or recurrent of otherwise unexplained symptoms and villous atrophy on biopsy despite gluten free diet for 12 months
What causes coeliac disease genes
Presence of HLA risk alleles is a factor, esp HLA-DQ2/8
Gluten exposure
Complications of coeliac disease?
Depression, anxiety, eating disorders, reduced quality of life
Faltering growth and delayed puberty in children
Nutritional deficincies due to malabsorption
Anaemia - malabsoprtion of iron, folate, vit B12
Reduced bone mineral density - osteoporosis + osteopenia
Hyposplesism
Symptoms of coeliac disease
Often non specific
-Persistent, unexplained GI symptoms eg acid reflux, diarrhoea, steatorrhea, weight loss, abdo paun, reduced appetitie, bloating and constipation
IBS
Prolonged fatigue or lethargy
Signs of coeliac disease
Mouth ulcers = persistent or recurrent
Faltering gorwth, short stature, delayed puberty
Unexplained iron, B12 or folate deficiency that may cause anaemia
T1DM at diagnosis
Suspected dermatitis herpeteformis
Ass diseases with coeliac
Autoimmune thyroid disease eg hashimotos thyroiditis
Autoimmune liver disease - primary biliary cholangutus, sclerosing cholangitis, autoimmune hepatitis
Slective IgA deficiency
What is dermatitis herpeteformis?
Immune mediated cutaneous sign of coeliac disease
Symmetrical clusters of itchy blistering skin lesions
Eroisions, excoriations, hyperpigmentation
What are some more atypical symptoms that can be associated with coeliac disease?
Unexplained
depression or anxiety
Osteomalacia, penia, porosis, fragility fractures
Peripheral neuropathy or ataxia
Recurrent miscarriage or subfertility
Persistently raised transaminases on LFTs
Dental enamel defects
Hyposplenism or asplenia
Downs, Turners or Williams syndrome
History questions for coeliac fdisease
Symptoms of malabsorption - diarrhoea, steatorrhea, weight loss, unexplained acid reflux, abdo pain, bloat, constipation, fatigue
Family history
Risk factors
CLINICAL features of complications
Ass conditions - T1DM, autoimmune thyroid disease
What does the patient have to do before they can have coeliac serology testing?
Eat gluten in more than one meal a day for at least 6 weejs before testing
Investigations for coeliac disease
Coeliac serology - serum immunoglobulin (IgA) tissue transglutaminase antibody (tTGA) and total IgA (not diagnositc)
Check for IgG EMA, DGP or tTGA if no evidence of IgA deficiency
Referral to gastroenterologist
Endoscopic and intestinal biopsy confirms or excludes diagnososis - histologial changes in small bowel on biopsy
Management of coeliac disease primary care
Refer to GE
Refer to dermatology if suspect dermatitis herpeteformis
What does the diagnosis of coeliac disease rely on?
Combination of clinical, serological + histopathological findings following duodenal biopsy