What is Celiac Disease?

Celiac disease is a severe autoimmune disease that is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide. The disease generally occurs in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. About two and one-half million Americans are undiagnosed and are at risk for long-term health problems.

When someone with celiac disease eats gluten, their body mounts an immune response that attacks the small intestine, which in turn damages the villi, small fingerlike projections that line the small intestine. The villi promote nutrient absorption; when the villi get damaged, the body can not sufficiently absorb nutrients.

Celiac disease is generally hereditary. Those with a first-degree relative (parent, child, sibling) with celiac disease have a 1 in 10 risk of developing celiac disease. Celica disease can develop at any age after people start eating foods or medicines with gluten. If celiac disease is left untreated, it can lead to severe health problems.

Long-Term Health Effects

Those with celiac disease have a 2x significant risk of developing coronary artery disease and 4x greater risk of developing small bowel cancers. If celiac disease is left undiagnosed or untreated, it can lead to:

• Iron deficiency anemia
• Early-onset osteoporosis or osteopenia
• Infertility and miscarriage
• Lactose intolerance
• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
• Central and peripheral nervous system disorder
• Pancreatic insufficiency
• Intestinal lymphomas and other GI cancers 
• Gallbladder malfunction
• Neurological manifestations, including ataxia, epileptic seizures, dementia, migraine, neuropathy, myopathy, and multifocal leukoencephalopathy

Treatment

Currently, the only treatment for celiac disease is to adhere to a strict gluten-free diet. Ingesting even small amounts of gluten, like crumbs from a cutting board or a toaster, can damage the small intestine.

ICRMD had recently found a monoclonal antibody that blocks interleukin 15, which has been shown to reduce intestinal inflammation and improve clinical symptoms induced by gluten consumption in celiac disease. PRV-015 may be effective as an adjunctive treatment to a Gluten-Free Diet in non-responsive celiac disease patients.

Be sure to contact our Investigative Clinical Research studies center in Annapolis Maryland online at icrmd.com or call us at 410-224-4887.