COELIAC DISEASE FEATURE
Is it Coeliac Disease? I
n May, Coeliac UK, the national charity for people with coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis launched a major new diagnosis campaign called is it coeliac disease? to reach the estimated 40,000 people in Scotland and estimated 500,000 people in the UK currently living with the difficult and damaging symptoms of coeliac disease without realising it. The campaign also aims to reduce the length of time it takes for coeliac disease to be diagnosed. Currently, the average length of time between first onset of symptoms and clinical diagnosis is a quite incredible 13 years!
Coeliac UK believe it is simply not acceptable that so many are living in the dark with this condition for so long a period.
Coeliac (pronounced see-liac) disease is caused by a reaction of the immune system to gluten - a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. When someone with the condition eats gluten, the body attacks and damages the lining of the gut where food is absorbed, making it difficult for the body to get the nutrients it needs. Gluten is found in many every day foods such as bread, pasta, cereals, cakes, and biscuits as well in other foods such as sausages, stock cubes and sauces.
While there is no cure for coeliac disease, medication is not required to treat the condition. The only treatment is a strict gluten-free diet for life. The good news is once diagnosed and on a gluten-free diet, people feel much better and their symptoms abate.
24 - SCOTTISH PHARMACIST
It is estimated that 1 in 100 of the population has coeliac disease yet only around a quarter have a diagnosis. This means an estimated 52,000 people in Scotland have the condition, with about 40,000 living without a diagnosis. The is it coeliac disease? campaign is focused on highlighting the wide range of symptoms of coeliac disease to increase awareness of the condition and lead to an increase in diagnosis.
Coeliac disease symptoms include stomach pains, regular bouts of
SYMPTOMS
Coeliac disease has a range of symptoms that affect different people in different ways. The most commonly reported symptoms are: • frequent bouts of diarrhoea or loose stools • nausea, feeling sick and vomiting • stomach pain and cramping • lots of gas and bloating • feeling tired all the time, ongoing fatigue • anaemia
• weight loss (though not in all cases) • lack of weight gain in children (though not in all cases) • regular mouth ulcers • constipation or hard stools
• skin rash (dermatitis herpetiformis, the skin manifestation of coeliac disease)
Myles Fitt, Scotland Lead, Coeliac UK
diarrhoea, on-going fatigue, constant mouth ulcers, nausea, vomiting and anaemia and, in some people, a lack of weight gain and, in children, failure to thrive. These symptoms can affect people in different ways, making it difficult for them to pinpoint the cause and seek diagnosis. Left untreated, coeliac disease can lead to serious health problems such as osteoporosis and unexplained infertility, and in rare cases small bowel cancer.
This is why our is it coeliac disease? campaign is so important - to find the tens of thousands of people across the country in need of a diagnosis. Central to the campaign is a website
www.isitcoeliacdisease.org.uk which enables visitors to find out more about coeliac disease, the most common symptoms and the details of the diagnosis process. Those who suspect they might have the symptoms of coeliac disease will also be able to complete an online assessment,
and be provided with some further advice about what to do next through an assessment form which they can print out and take to their GP if the assessment highlights the need for further investigation. Encouragingly, since the assessment was launched in the middle of May, over 13,000 people have completed it.
We know that the symptoms of coeliac disease can be vague and general and can, understandably, be easily dismissed. That sore stomach? Just something I ate. That fatigue? Too many late nights. That nausea? One of those things. We want people who are suffering with these symptoms either on their own or in combination with other symptoms as listed on our campaign website to ask themselves is it coeliac disease? and to take our online assessment.
Our campaign is also aimed at the medical profession so that those troubled by symptoms of coeliac
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