What is Celiac Sprue?

Celiac Sprue (also known as Celiac Disease, Gluten-Sensitive Enteropathy, and Non- Tropical Sprue) is a life-long, immune-mediated disease of the small intestine that is cause by eating gluten, a protein component of wheat, rye, and barley.

Celiac Sprue is a genetic disease that can occur in people of any age. When individuals with Celiac Sprue eat gluten, the gluten triggers a cascade of events that leads to inflammation and damage to the lining of the small intestine, preventing absorption of critical nutrients, minerals, and vitamins.

Although once thought to be a rare disorder, recent prevalence studies have shown that Celiac Sprue is common, affecting 1 in 120 to 300 people in Europe and North America(1) . A recent large epidemiologic study in the US found that the overall prevalence of Celiac Sprue is 1 in 133 (2) .

1Farrell RJ and Kelly CP, (2002) Celiac Sprue. New Eng J Med . 346: 180-188.

2Fasano A, Berti I Gerarduzzi T, Not T, Colletti RB, Drago S, Elitsur Y, Green PHR, Guandalini S, Hill ID, Pietzak M, Ventura A, Thorpe M, Kryszak D, Fornaroli F, Wasserman SS, Murray JA, and Horvath K, (2003) Prevalence of celiac disease in at-risk and not-at-risk groups in the United States. Arch Int Med . 163: 286-292.