Typical Features of Celiac Disease
| Anatomical System | Features |
|---|---|
| General | Short stature Weight loss Lethargy Swelling caused by fluid in the body's tissues (oedema) Thickening of the flesh under the toenails and fingernails (clubbing) Flattened nails with concavities (koilonychia) Bruising |
| Gastrointestinal | Anorexia, nausea, vomiting Abdominal distension (bloating) and pain Flatulence Diarrhoea and constipation Bacterial overgrowth Lactose intolerance |
| Psychiatric | Depression Anxiety |
| Neurological | Numbness of the extremities, tingling (peripheral neuropathy) Difficulty in coordinating movements (ataxia) Epilepsy (recurrent unprovoked seizures) Tingling, numbness and pricking feeling similar to ‘pins and needles’ or a limb being ‘asleep’ (paraesthesia) Headaches |
| Haematological | Anaemia Folic acid and iron deficiency Raised mean corpuscular volume Haemorrhagic manifestations |
| Biochemical | Reduced serum calcium Raised alkaline phosphatase Raised hepatic amino-transferase (liver dysfunction) |
| Reproduction | Infertility Recurrent miscarriages |
| Musculoskeletal | Soft bones due to vitamin D deficiency (osteomalacia) Brittle bones (osteoporosis) Bone pain Disease of the muscle (myopathy) Cramps Involuntary contraction of muscles due to vitamin D deficiency (tetany) |
| Renal | Frequent passage of urine at night (nocturnal diuresis) |
| Skin | Red blistering rashes (dermatitis herpertiformis) Pigmentation |
| Manifestations of malabsorption | Vitamin and mineral deficiencies including folic acid, iron, calcium and vitamin D. Protein and calorie malnutrition |