Therapy goals
- Complaint-free life
- Avoidance of complications and secondary diseases
Therapy recommendations
- The most important therapy for celiac disease (gluten-induced enteropathy) is avoidance of gluten-containing foods. However, this does not bring a cure in about 10 percent of those affected.
- Asymptomatic celiac patients also benefit from a gluten-free diet. Asymptomatic celiac patients are defined as follows: Endomysium IgA antibodies (EmA) in serum (see below laboratory diagnostics) conspicuous, but no obvious clinical symptoms and at most minor mucosal changes in the small intestine.
- See also under “Further therapy”
Further notes
- Intentional infection of celiac patients with hookworms significantly improved gluten intolerance. Caution. For malnourished patients, children and pregnant women, infection with hookworms can be life-threatening!
- In refractory celiac disease and persistent celiac symptoms despite a gluten-free diet, therapy with the tight-junction regulator larazotide can be tried. In one study, patients were randomized to receive larazotide (0.5 mg; 1 mg; 2 mg) or placebo three times daily p.o., 15 minutes before meals) in a four-week placebo run-in phase. The treatment group with the lowest larazotide dose (0.5 mg) showed a significantly improved gastrointestinal symptom score from the second week of treatment compared with placebo. Furthermore, the larazotide treatment group (0.5 mg), compared with the placebo group, showed that 15.7 symptom-free days were gained.
