Doença celíaca: revisão bibliográfica.

Abstract

Celiac disease (CD) is an enteropathy chronic disorder of the immune system. Induced by the ingestion of gluten proteins, leading to damage the mucosa of the small intestine. Gluten is present in wheat, barley, rye, oats and their derivatives. Prevalence studies of DC have shown that it is more frequent than previously thought, but the lack of information about the disease and the difficulty in diagnosing impair adherence to treatment and limit the opportunities for clinical improvement. A gluten-free diet is the only treatment for celiac disease, but it is not an easy task as it depends on several aspects, such as: cultural, psychological, intellectual levels and access to alternative foods. The aim of this review is to provide updated information on Celiac Disease, its clinical presentation and increasing prevalence, pathophysiology and strong genetic predisposition of the disease, as well as on methods for its diagnosis and treatment. For its accomplishment a literature review will systematically use should be made, in Medline, Pubmed, Lilacs, SciELO and national and international health committees, the articles published in the last fifteen years, addressing Celiac Disease. The following search terms (keywords and delimiters) were used in various combinations: 1) Celiac Disease, 2) food intolerance; 3) gluten allergy; 4) celiac sprue. The literature search included original articles, review articles, editorials and guidelines written in English and Portuguese, being selected according to the criteria of the Oxford Centre for Evidence. In total, the survey included 19 articles in Portuguese, 17 articles in English, 7 books, 8 dissertations, 10 sites and 3 national laws.