title: [Diagnosis and treatment of refractory sprue].
abstract: Celiac disease is a gluten-sensitive enteropathy characterized by villous atrophy that is reversed by gluten withdrawal. A minority of these patients is resistant to a gluten-free diet or, after a period of remission, they experience relapse despite continued adherence to treatment, which is called unclassified sprue or refractory sprue.The prognosis of refractory sprue may be poor: patients may die of severe malabsorption or from the development of an enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma. We report a 72-year-old-woman with a diagnosis of refractory sprue who responded well to treatment with corticosteroids and a gluten-free diet.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Digestivo. Hospital Comarcal de Riotinto. Huelva. España. agarridos@interec.org
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garrido
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Guerrero
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lepe
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Muñoz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018753:Diet, Protein-Restricted; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005983:Glutens / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D005983:Glutens; D011241:Prednisone