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With all the excitement over the recent article on research identifying a
gluten peptide which triggers celiac disease appearing in the Sept. 27,
2002 Science magazine another important recent research study was
overlooked.  This study may answer the question as to how long it takes for
the symptoms of celiac disease to go away once starting and maintaining a
gluten-free diet.  The following article was posted 09/25/2002 on
medscape.com:

"Histologic Follow-Up of People With Celiac Disease on a Gluten-Free Diet:
Slow and Incomplete Recovery", Am J Clin Pathol 118(3):459-463, 2002.
© 2002 American Society of Clinical Pathologists, Inc.

The complete article is at:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/440971

Here is the Abstract:

"To assess histologic recovery in response to gluten withdrawal in celiac
disease, 158 patients seen in our hospital during a 15-year period
underwent follow-up small intestine biopsies (SIBs) within 2 years after
starting a gluten-free diet; further SIBs were done if villous atrophy was
present. A modified Marsh classification was used (IIIA, partial villous
atrophy; IIIB, subtotal villous atrophy; IIIC, total villous atrophy).

Of patients with Marsh IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC lesions, histologic remission
was seen in 65.0% within 2 years, 85.3% within 5 years, and 89.9% in long-
term follow-up. Eleven patients (7.0%) with persisting (partial) villous
atrophy had symptoms and signs of malabsorption and were considered to have
refractory celiac disease; 5 of them developed an enteropathy-associated T-
cell lymphoma. Children recovered up to 95% within 2 years and 100% in the
long-term.

Histologic recovery in celiac disease after starting a gluten-free diet
takes time and is incomplete or absent in a substantial subgroup of
patients (10.1% villous atrophy after 5 years). Systematic follow-up of
patients with celiac disease and the malabsorption syndrome and secondary
complications is needed."

Note, that after 2 years on a GF diet, some 35% of patients still have
symptoms!  15% after 5 years!  No wonder there are so many posts on the
Celiac List complaining of problems long after going on a GF diet.

*Please provide references to back up claims of a product being GF or not GF*