Coeliac Disease

Key points

• Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition caused by sensitivity to the protein gluten. It is thought to affect around 1% of the UK population. Repeated exposure leads to villous atrophy which in turn causes malabsorption.
• Chronic or intermittent diarrhoea
• Failure to thrive or faltering growth (in children)
• Persistent or unexplained
• Autoimmune thyroid disease