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I am interested in doing a poll here to do  very "unscientific" research to find out if there is a link between Celiac and aneurysms.  So, my question to everyone is "How many  of you Celiacs, formally diagnosed or not,  have relatives with aortic aneurysms, living or dead?"  

I am a newly diagnosed Celiac (July 2005)  and feel tremendously better being gluten free.  One of the main things I have noticed with this diet is that my typically terrible circulation has improved tremendously to the point that my normally purple toes and swelling ankles are normal color and size!  (I am only 35).  Two years ago, my father almost died of an aortic aneurysm that was bursting but was luckily repaired.  The scans showed that his entire aorta is dilated and riddled with aneurysms.  The cardiac surgeon told me personally that his aneurysms are genetic, as people can go an entire life with High BP and never get an aneurysm.  I was talking to another friend who has "leaky gut" (celiac) whose father died of aortic aneurysms.  Doing a little research on the web, I found a link between copper deficiency and specifically aneurysms.  So, I figure any sort of mineral or vitamin deficiency could be related to a malabsorption syndrome such as Celiac.  My parents have agreed to do genetic testing for Celiac to satisfy my curiosity, so that will probably answer a lot of my questions, but I would really like to informally know if there is possibly a link between aneurysms and Celiac-----as aneurysms are genetic but so is Celiac.  I will summarize too.  

Thanks, Katie

* Visit the Celiac Web Page at www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/index.html *