<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

While one can not predict the exact outcome for an individual patient
who decides not to adhere to a gluten free diet, you can make some
predictions based on their prior symptoms and the published experiences
of larger centers examining both patients with delayed diagnosis (into
later life) and outcome studies comparing non-compliant patients with
compliant patients.

The risk for the development of malignancy is higher in untreated
patients.  There is also the significant risk for osteoporosis.
General ill health and continued GI symptoms can be expected in most
patients though they may not be as severe as the initial presentation
especially if the patient eats a little less gluten.  Things like
lactose intolerance, bloating often don't go away in the partailly
treated patient.

There are individuals who don't seem to have many symptoms at all but
the damage may still be ongoing in the intestine.

Problems with nervous system, infertility and joints may also occur and
the patient may not realise that the gluten could be contributing to
these also.

This is not medical advice and is only a partial discussion of the
topic.

Joseph A Murray, MD
Coordinator, Celiac Disease Clinic,
Associate Professor of Medicine,
Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology,
University of Iowa,
200 Hawkins Drive,
Iowa City, IA 52242