Symptoms
It is now recognised that there is a wide range of symptoms associated with coeliac disease. These range from 'typical' symptoms such as diarrhoea, abdominal bloating and weight loss to 'atypical' symptoms such as lethargy, anaemia and infertility. Often symptoms can be vague and this can result in a delayed or misdiagnosis, with some symptoms mirroring those of other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Anaemia is a common symptom of coeliac disease. The impaired ability of individuals with coeliac disease to digest and absorb nutrients may result in an increased likelihood of iron and folate deficiency. This may subsequently lead to anaemia. As many as 85% of adults with untreated coeliac disease are found to have either iron or folate deficiency1. A case-finding study found that one of the most common modes of presentation of coeliac disease was anaemia2.
References
1. British Society of Gastroenterology. Guidelines for the management of patients with coeliac disease. 2002
2. Hin H, Bird G, Fisher P et al. Coeliac disease in primary care: case-finding study. British Medical Journal 1999;318:164-167
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