Case study: celiac disease: an important comorbibity associated with type 1 diabetes

Classic symptoms of celiac disease generally include steatorrhea, flatulence, and the consequences of malabsorption, such as growth failure in children, weight loss, severe iron deficiency anemia, neurological disorders from vitamin B deficiencies, and osteopenia from vitamin D and calcium deficiencies. Patients with positive antibodies should be referred to a gastroenterologist for confirmation and to a dietitian for instruction on a glutenfree diet.6 Adherence to a gluten-free diet has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of small bowel lymphoma and nutritional deficiencies of iron, vitamin B12, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and fatsoluble vitamins in patients with celiac disease.7 However, only a handful of small prospective studies have addressed the issue of the glycemic benefits of a gluten-free diet.