Celiac Disease

Summary

An estimated three million Americans have celiac disease, but most do not even know it. Celiac disease is the most common inherited autoimmune illness in America. It is thought to affect 1% of the entire U.S. population, though 98% of those who have it have not been diagnosed.

This content was created by the Metametrix Institute

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It takes the average patient seven years to get a diagnosis of celiac disease. In that time, most patients have seen many clinicians, and they have been misdiagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, spastic colon, diverticulitis, intestinal infections, chronic fatigue syndrome, reflux, or depression. This variety of diagnoses is a testament to the varied symptoms patients can exhibit with celiac; many patients do not even have gastrointestinal symptoms. Because of this lack of symptoms, many clinicians now test for celiac disease or gluten sensitivity when someone has symptoms of malnutrition, malabsorption, joint pain, or when investigating anemia, osteoporosis, infertility, or seizures (certain types are linked to celiac disease). In children, celiac disease tests may be ordered when a child exhibits gastrointestinal symptoms, delayed development, short stature, and/or a failure to thrive.