title: Celiac sprue. Diagnosis and diet: keys to recovery.
abstract: Celiac sprue is a devastating disease that can have fatal consequences if untreated. Fortunately, if diagnosed correctly and promptly, it can be effectively treated with very satisfactory outcomes. A careful history will often suggest the diagnosis, but definitive diagnosis requires finding the typical lesion on small bowel biopsy and clinical improvement with a gluten-free diet. If symptoms and mucosal abnormalities persist, glucocorticoids should be tried. Malignancy is a rare complication of longstanding CS that should be looked for if there is no response to gluten withdrawal or if symptoms relapse despite adherence to diet.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham 27710.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Schutz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stroebel
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Schutz
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Leaseburge
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baillie
mesh_terms: D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology