Question:
1. What is coeliac disease? Relate your answer to the function of the villi and how they are adapted for their function.
First things first, what is coeliac disease?
- Coeliac disease (pronounced see-liac, spelt celiac disease in other countries) is an autoimmune disease.
- Gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye triggers an immune reaction in people with coeliac disease.
- This means that eating gluten damages the lining of the small intestine. Other parts of the body may be affected.
what are the symptoms in coeliac disease?
Possible symptoms may include:
- diarrhoea, excessive wind, and/or constipation
- persistent or unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting
- recurrent stomach pain, cramping or bloating
- any combination of iron, vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency
- tiredness and/or headaches
- weight loss (but not in all cases)
- mouth ulcers
- hair loss (alopecia)
- skin rash (dermatitis herpetiformis (DH))
- tooth enamel problems
- osteoporosis
- depression
- infertility
- repeated miscarriages
- joint and/or bone pain
- neurological (nerve) problems such as ataxia (poor muscle co-ordination) and neuropathy (numbness and tingling in the hands and feet).
Children can also get coeliac disease!
In babies, symptoms may develop after weaning onto cereals which contain gluten.
Other symptoms in young children include:
- muscle wasting in the arms and legs
- bloated tummy
- irritability
- failure to gain weight or lose weight after previously growing well
Secondly, what is villi?
- Vili are folds in the walls of the gastrointestinal tract (intestines) which increasesurface area.
Thirdly, let's understand what is the function of villi?
- Basically, as food and stuff you've ingested is pushed past, all these little folds (vili and microvili), they absorbs the nutrients you need in your body.
- And being folded lots of times means greater surface area and therefore its easier to get the nutrients!
3. Treatment - how do we deal with coeliac disease?
- The small intestine lining is covered by millions of villi, finger-like projections, which act to increase the surface area of the intestine allowing increased absorption of nutrients.
- The villi are damaged by the inflammation in CD, which results in a decrease in the absorption of food.
- When gluten is removed from the diet inflammation is reduced and the intestine begins to heal.
- The time when a patient develops symptoms varies from patient to patient after their first contact with the gluten protein.
- In many cases is may be decades before symptoms and signs develop, often precipitated by a trigger.
Interesting facts about celiac disease~
The following grains contain Gluten and are NOT ALLOWED IN ANY FORM:
- Barley
- Einkorn
- Kamut
- Rye
- Spelt
- Triticale
- Wheat
- No. There is no other treatment currently available.
- All patients with CD must remain on a strict gluten free diet.
- Medications are not normally required. Supplemental vitamins, calcium and magnesium may sometimes be recommended but patients are advised to check with their physician about these supplements.
- Rarely steroids or other drugs are used to suppress the immune system but only in the most severe of cases.
Source: http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/celiac.asp
11. Where can I find more information on Celiac Disease?
http://www.celiac.org/
http://www.csaceliacs.org/
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/gui/action/FindCondition?ui=D002446&recruiting=true
http://www.naspghan.org
