Celiac Disease

And the Digestive System

Story

This is Ashley; she was diagnosed with Celiac Disease 2 years ago when her doctor noticed her severe weight loss and pain when having bowel movements. Because of her symptoms, her doctor ordered a small-bowel biopsy and blood tests. They came back positive for Celiac Disease.

Celiac Disease Symptoms There are no typical signs and symptoms of celiac

disease. Most people with the disease have these general symptoms: Diarrhea, either constant or off and on Abdominal pain Bloating

Other celiac disease symptoms maybe also include: Irritability or depression Stomach upset Joint pain Muscle cramps Skin rash Mouth sores Dental and bone disorders (such as osteoporosis) Tingling in the legs and feet (neuropathy)

How it impacts the digestive system

Celiac disease is a digestive condition triggered by consumption of the protein gluten, which is primarily found in foods containing wheat, barley or rye. People with celiac disease who eat foods containing gluten experience an immune reaction in their small intestines, causing damage to the inner surface of the small intestine and an inability to absorb certain nutrients.

How common is it and who tends to have it.

According to National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, celiac disease affects people in all parts of the world. More than 2 million people in the United States have the disease, or about 1 in 133 people.

According to Mayo Clinic, celiac disease can affect anyone, but it tends to be more common in people who have: Type 1 diabetes Autoimmune thyroid disease Down syndrome Microscopic colitis Females Relatives who have it European ancestry 9 to 18 months.

Risk factors if left untreated

Left untreated, celiac disease can lead to several complications: Malnutrition Loss of calcium and bone density Lactose intolerance Cancer Neurological complications Lower immune system

Treatment Celiac disease has no cure, but you can effectively

manage the disease through changing your diet. To manage the disease and prevent complications, it's crucial that you avoid all foods that contain gluten, including: Barley Bulgur Durum Farina Graham flour Rye Semolina Spelt (a form of wheat) Triticale Wheat

Your doctor may refer you to a dietitian, who can help you plan a healthy gluten-free diet.

Treatment

Treatment & their side effects

If you accidentally eat a product that contains gluten, you may experience abdominal pain and diarrhea. Some people experience no signs or symptoms after eating gluten, but this doesn't mean it's not harmful. Even trace amounts of gluten in your diet can be damaging, whether or not they cause signs or symptoms.

In cases of severe inflammation in the small intestine, your doctor may recommend medications steroids to control inflammation. Steroids may be used to give you relief from severe signs and symptoms until the effects of a gluten-free diet begin to become apparent.

Treatment & their side effects

If nutritional deficiencies are severe, a person may need to take vitamin and mineral supplements recommended by a doctor or dietitian to help correct these deficiencies. The doctor may recommend supplements to increase your levels of: Calcium Folate Iron Vitamin B-12 Vitamin D Vitamin K

Vitamin supplements can be taken in pill form. But in some situations, the digestive tract may have trouble absorbing vitamins. In these cases, the doctor may give the vitamins by injection.

Only treatment & how well it works

This is the only way to treat Celia disease. It works well to stop the problems Celia disease causes, but it is hard to maintain this diet.

Clinical Trials

There are three clinical trails going on right now. One of the clinical trials, is trying to figure out a way to

prevent it. They are doing this by identifying children at high genetic risk (around 10%) and in a follow-up study to define:

Are the age, dose of gluten and presence of simultaneous breast feeding at the introduction of gluten associated with the risk of celiac disease?

Is it possible to decrease the frequency of celiac disease by nutritional counseling?

Is it possible to predict development of celiac disease by immunological tests before the development of mucosal lesion

Clinical Trials

The second clinical trail is trying to figure if intestinal parasites from humans in developed countries may be responsible for the upsurge in many diseases including Celiac Disease.

The last clinical trial is a biotechnology company developing an immunotherapeutic vaccine. The therapeutic vaccine combines three proprietary peptides that draw out an immune response in patients with celiac disease. The Nexvax2 immunotherapy is designed to desensitize celiac disease patients to the toxic effects of gluten.

How the digestive system work in Dogs

The digestive system of a dog consists of the teeth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine.  The liver and pancreas also aid in digestion although food does not actually enter either organ.  Food enters the digestive tract through the mouth where food is chewed before passing into the esophagus.  The esophagus leads to the stomach and has thick, elastic walls that allow the dog to swallow large items.  Glands in the stomach produce acid and enzymes which aid digestion.  The stomach also holds food until it is ready to pass through the pyloric sphincter into the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine.  Peristalsis moves food through the small intestine where it is mixed with enzymes from the liver and pancreas.  Nutrients are absorbed from the small intestine into the bloodstream.  Fluid is absorbed in the large intestine.  The large intestine also contains bacteria which help to break down wastes which are then excreted

How the digestive system work in Dogs

Study guide

Works Cited

"Celiac disease." Pubmed health. PubMed HealthD, 2010. Web. 30 Jan 2012. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001280/>.

Mayo Clinic Staff, Celiac disease. N.p., 2011. Web. 30 Jan 2012. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/celiac-disease/DS00319>.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases , . "Celiac Disease." National digestive diseases information clearinghouse (nddic). National Digestive Diseases Information Clearingho, 2008. Web. 30 Jan 2012. <http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/>.

Works Cited Continued.

"Phase 1 Clinical Trial of Celiac Disease Vaccine Shows Promising Results." National Foundation for Celiac Disease. NFCA, 5/10/2011. Web. 30 Jan 2012. <http://www.celiaccentral.org/News/News-Feeds/View-Research-News/Celiac-Disease-Research/134/vobid--5443/>.

"General Physiology of Dogs." Thermoregulation in Dogs. Davidson College, n.d. Web. 30 Jan 2012. <http://www.bio.davidson.edu/Courses/anphys/2000/Hatfield/Hatfield2.htm>.

Matthew. "Photos." FrontPoint Systems. medwonders networking for health, 2012. Web. 31 Jan 2012. <http://www.medwonders.com/member/Matthew/view-photo/82>.

"Health Matters." Tigertail Foods. Tigertail Foods, 2008. Web. 31 Jan 2012. <https://tigertailfoods.com/health-matters-may-11.php>.