Coeliac Disease
The cause is unknown, but they are associated with coeliac disease, IBD, and Behçet disease, and may be familial.
Coeliac Disease (Gluten-Sensitive Enteropathy)
- Immune-mediated enteropathy triggered by ingestion of gluten-containing foods (wheat, barley, rye)
- Genetic predisposition (strong association with HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 )
- Prevalence: 1% in Western populations
- Gliadin (alcohol-soluble fraction of gluten) deamidated by tissue transglutaminase (tTG)
- Deamidated gliadin presented by APCs to CD4+ T cells in lamina propria → T-cell activation → cytokine release → epithelial cell damage
Read this in GASTROINTESTINAL PATHOLOGY (Part 2)
What our notes say
- The cause is unknown, but they are associated with coeliac disease, IBD, and Behçet disease, and may be familial. (GASTROINTESTINAL PATHOLOGY (Part 1))
- Causes: blood loss (menstruation, hookworm, peptic ulcer, haemorrhoids), increased need (pregnancy, growth), poor intake (diet), poor absorption (coeliac disease, atrophic gastritis). (Internal Medicine (MBIM 4100) main exam, Paper One: 3 July 2019)
- Topics: diabetic emergencies, thyroid disease, adrenal disease, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, liver disease, hepatitis, inflammatory bowel disease and coeliac disease. (Endocrinology and Gastroenterology Question Bank: 12 Clinical MCQs)
- The picture suggests coeliac disease with dermatitis herpetiformis. (Endocrinology and Gastroenterology Question Bank: 12 Clinical MCQs)
- Example: lactase deficiency (lactose intolerance), laxative abuse (e.g. magnesium salts), malabsorption syndromes (e.g. coeliac disease). (General & Systemic Pathology SAQ Paper II — 15 July 2025 (MBPA 3500, MKU Year 3,)
- Malabsorption (coeliac disease, Crohn's, chronic pancreatitis) (CRASH COURSE PART 3 CHEMICAL PATHO)
Study material on Coeliac Disease
- GASTROINTESTINAL PATHOLOGY (Part 3)
- Paediatrics main exam (MBPE 4300): 24 January 2022, Paper One, 100 MCQs, 2 short essays and 2 long essays
- Endocrinology and Gastroenterology Question Bank: 12 Clinical MCQs
- GASTROINTESTINAL PATHOLOGY (Part 2)
Practice questions on Coeliac Disease
Which lymphoma is most strongly associated with coeliac disease?
- MALT lymphoma
- Mantle cell lymphoma
- Enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma (EATL)
- Anaplastic large cell lymphoma
Answer: C. EATL arises as a complication of coeliac disease and carries a very poor prognosis with poor treatment response. ---