Celiac Disease

Abstract

DICKE¹ first described over a decade ago the dramatic improvement that occurs in childhood celiac disease after elimination of dietary wheat and rye. It was later shown that the offending agent in wheat is confined to the protein moiety, gluten, and more specifically to its gliadin fraction.² Oats are believed to contain a similar offending protein.² Many observers, beginning with McIver,³ have confirmed the effectiveness of a gluten-free diet in the treatment of adults with celiac disease ("nontropical sprue" or "idiopathic sprue") as well as patients with childhood celiac disease. Furthermore, peroral biopsy^{4 , 5} has made possible repeated demonstration of a . . .