Editorial: Coeliac disease diagnosis: has histopathology become redundant?

Coeliac disease (CD), also known as Coeliac sprue, nontropical sprue, gluten-induced enteropathy, or glutensensitive enteropathy (GSE) is a chronic, systemic, autoimmune disorder predominantly affecting the small intestine, and caused by the hypersensitivity to certain ingredients in wheat (gluten), rye (secalins), and barley (hordeins), in genetically susceptible individuals. Classically it affects infants and young children soon after weaning to wheat based diet, but the disease can afflict individuals of any age. Indeed, the disease is now being diagnosed more frequently in adults and elderly. The later forms of the disease are known as latent, late-onset, or subclinical GSE. An accurate diagnosis of these forms is also crucial, as continued ingestion of gluten in these individuals also predisposes them to the same type of long-term complications as the classic childhood-onset CD.