title: Coeliac disease: an old or a new disease? History of a pathology.
abstract: The celiac disease is an ancient pathology, present since the introduction of the wheat in the diet, of which the first description of the compatible clinical symptoms and signs goes back to 250 A.D. Today it is known that the expression of this pathology is multifaceted, ranging from clinical features indicative of bowel disease and malabsorption, until symptoms once unexpected, because of their extra-digestive clinical features. With our work, we wanted to retrace the history of this disease, correlating it with the intake of gluten present in wheat after cooking , ever since mankind has increased the cultivation of cereals. Re-evaluating the clinical and instrumental methods for the diagnosis of Celiac Disease, and benefitting from the most modern techniques for the morphological, biochemical and genetic study of the patients, we sought to understand whether the incidence of the disease is actually increased or if has been considered less frequent for the lower valuation of the signs once deemed more atypical, but currently considered preliminary indicative of the pathology, for its association with other autoimmune diseases, and for the study of some genetic and familiar characteristics. Each of these factors has led the modern medicine to increase epidemiological studies and expand the research potential carriers of celiac disease with safer diagnostic tests.
authors.affiliation: Fondazione Ricerca in Medicina ONLUS, 40123, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni Battista
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Gasbarrini
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mangiola
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gerardi
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ianiro
authors.forename: Gino Roberto
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Corazza
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gasbarrini
mesh_terms: D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000266:history; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans