Abstract
Celiac disease is a frequent chronic disorder of autoimmune nature, caused by a life-long gluten intolerance in genetica-lly predisposed persons. Occurs in approximatelly 1 % of the Western population.
Clinical signs are very heterogenous, from mild atypic ones to severe malabsorption. The diagnosis is based on detection of specific serum autoantibodies and typical enterobiopsy changes.
Its only treatment is gluten-free diet, which, if followed properly, leads to disappearance of clinical symptoms, improved mucous membrane changes and reduces the risk of complications.