Celiac Disease and Concomitant Conditions: A Case-based Review

Cureus. 2018 Feb 2;10(2):e2143. doi: 10.7759/cureus.2143.

Abstract

Celiac disease is a chronic autoimmune disease with genetic predisposition, triggered by the ingestion of gluten. It has a wide range of clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic forms to classic presentation of malabsorption with diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Celiac disease can also present with several other concomitant disorders (at the time of diagnosis or during the course of celiac disease) such as: type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disorders, nutritional deficiencies, and gram-negative sepsis. We present a 57-year-old female with past medical history of rheumatoid arthritis, who presented to the emergency department with a complaint of chronic diarrhea, complicated by gram-negative sepsis. The family history of the patient was significant for celiac disease, type 1 diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis. The patient was closely monitored and treated appropriately. In this case-based review, we explore different associated conditions of celiac disease in the literature, as well as the patient's risk of developing malignancy.

Keywords: celiac disease - inflammatory bowel disease; celiac disease - lymphoma; celiac disease - rheumatoid arthritis; celiac disease - thyroid problems; celiac disease - type 1 diabetes; celiac disease - vitamin deficiencies; celiac disease and sepsis.

Publication types

  • Review