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Underdiagnosis Fosters Treatment Delays, Says Panel

Mike Mitka

JAMA. 2004;292:913-914.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Celiac disease can remain undiagnosed for years, hiding in the shadows of symptoms that mimic other conditions. But now physicians and researchers are shining a spotlight on the disease that should lead to quicker diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

A consensus panel convened by the National Institutes of Health recently announced recommendations for appropriate diagnosis and management of celiac disease. The focus is timely because celiac disease, once believed to be a rare condition, is now considered underdiagnosed and is estimated to affect between 0.5% and 1% (up to 3 million individuals) of the US population. These new numbers are 10 times higher than previous estimates.

The disease is an immune-mediated disorder of either childhood or adult life. Its chief characteristic is chronic inflammation of the small intestinal mucosa that can cause atrophy of intestinal villi, malabsorption, and other clinical manifestations. Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramping, pain, and distention—all . . . [Full Text of this Article]