<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Here's a new coeliac disease overview... a good handout to give to your primary care physician. The full text and PDF versions of the article are free. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2003 Apr;17(8):987-95 The diagnosis of coeliac disease. Abdulkarim AS, Murray JA. Marshfield Clinic, Marshfield, WI, USA; Mayo Clinic and Foundation, Rochester, MN, USA. Coeliac disease is a chronic inflammatory condition associated with small intestinal injury that results in the malabsorption of different nutrients. The damaging factor is gluten present in wheat, barley and rye. The diagnosis relies on the clinical picture of the patient, serological markers for coeliac disease, characteristic findings of small intestinal biopsy and, eventually, clinical improvement on a gluten-free diet. Our strategies for the diagnosis of coeliac disease have changed dramatically within the last 10 years. The advent of serological markers with high sensitivity and specificity is changing our understanding of the disease and its prevalence. Treatment includes a life-long gluten-free diet to prevent the recurrence of symptoms and other potential consequences. Most coeliac disease remains under-diagnosed; the utilization of more accurate serological tests and a greater awareness of its many presentations will aid its identification. The full text is available at (paste the web address together on one line): http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.1365- 2036.2003.01442.x/full/ PDF version : http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.1365- 2036.2003.01442.x/pdf/ *Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the CELIAC List*