Untreated celiac disease

Celiac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated lifelong enteropathy characterized by an abnormal T-cell response to gluten (a complex protein contained in wheat, rye and barley) in genetically susceptible individuals. CD is the most frequent food intolerance and it can occur at any age. During childhood, clinical manifestations of untreated CD include malabsorption (chronic diarrhea, failure to thrive and abdominal distention), but the clinical picture can also include a wide spectrum of atypical gastrointestinal and systemic symptoms. Many complications of the disease, which were originally described chiefly in adults, can nowadays be observed in children and adolescents. This review presents an overview of the clinical picture and complications of untreated CD in children.