Mohammed Wehbi, MD Vincent W Yang, MD, PhD Robin E Rutherford,
MD Simmy Bank, MD, MB, ChB Mary L Windle, PharmD BS Anand, MD
Celiac Sprue Overview Celiac sprue, also known as celiac
disease, gluten-sensitive enteropathy, and gluten-induced
enteropathy, is a chronic disease of the digestive tract that
interferes with the digestion and absorption of nutrients from
food. People with celiac sprue cannot tolerate gluten, a protein
commonly found in wheat, rye, barley, and to some degree, oats.
When affected individuals ingest foods containing gluten, the
lining (mucosa) of the intestine becomes damaged due to the
body's immune reaction. Because the lining of the intestine
contains essential enzymes for digestion and absorption, its
destruction leads to malabsorption, a difficulty in absorption
of food and essential nutrients. As result, celiac sprue is
often considered a malabsorption disorder. Persons with celiac
sprue experience improvement in the condition when on a strict,
gluten-free diet and relapse when die