Gluten allergy largely goes undiagnosed, study finds

More than 40,000 New Zealanders could be suffering from a potentially debilitating allergy to gluten, the protein in wheat and some other grains. But only one in seven people with the condition, called coeliac disease, have been diagnosed, research published in today’s New Zealand Medical Journal suggests. The study shows incidence of the disease began rising sharply from the 1980s. Cells in the small intestine of sufferers become inflamed, leaving them unable to absorb nutrients. The Coeliac Society says symptoms can include fatigue, diarrhoea, constipation, iron deficiency, abdominal cramps and retarded growth. It is caused by intestinal intolerance of gluten, which is found in grains. The treatment is a life-long gluten-free diet. Undiagnosed coeliac disease is linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis, infertility and other health problems. For the journal study, Christchurch gastro-enterologist Dr Bramwell Cook and colleagues checked records of Canterbury patients with coeliac disease between 1970 and 1999. They suggest that 1.1 per cent of the population could be affected, yet only a seventh of that figure are diagnosed. Auckland gastro-enterologist Associate Professor Mark Lane says patients should be tested for the disease if they have gastro-intestinal symptoms, biochemical evidence of poor absorption, or conditions associated with coeliac disease. Herald Feature: Health

More than 40,000 New Zealanders could be suffering from a potentially debilitating allergy to gluten, the protein in wheat and some other grains. But only one in seven people with the condition, called coeliac disease, have been diagnosed, research published in today’s New Zealand Medical Journal suggests. The study shows incidence of the disease began rising sharply from the 1980s. Cells in the small intestine of sufferers become inflamed, leaving them unable to absorb nutrients. The Coeliac Society says symptoms can include fatigue, diarrhoea, constipation, iron deficiency, abdominal cramps and retarded growth. It is caused by intestinal intolerance of gluten, which is found in grains. The treatment is a life-long gluten-free diet. Undiagnosed coeliac disease is linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis, infertility and other health problems. For the journal study, Christchurch gastro-enterologist Dr Bramwell Cook and colleagues checked records of Canterbury patients with coeliac disease between 1970 and 1999. They suggest that 1.1 per cent of the population could be affected, yet only a seventh of that figure are diagnosed. Auckland gastro-enterologist Associate Professor Mark Lane says patients should be tested for the disease if they have gastro-intestinal symptoms, biochemical evidence of poor absorption, or conditions associated with coeliac disease. (Source: New Zealand Herald Feature, Feb 2004)