The Role of the Gluten-Free Diet and Personalized Follow-Up on Complications and Associated Diseases in Celiac Disease

Dear Colleagues,

Celiac disease (CeD) is a systemic immune-mediated disease that develops in genetically susceptible individuals. A gluten-free diet (GFD) is essential for CeD patients, and has many beneficial effects: symptoms alleviate in most patients, the small bowel mucosa heals, antibody production stops, and nutritive status and bone mineral density improve. Patients need lifelong follow-up, in which dietary counselling has an important role in maintaining adherence. During the disease’s course, patients may face many complications, e.g., autoimmunity, infertility, metabolic bone diseases, and malignancy. The role of a GFD in the management of the complications is controversial. The GFD could have positive effects on some complications (e.g., infertility, osteoporosis), but some of them are irreversible (e.g., gluten ataxia). Gastrointestinal symptoms that remain despite a GFD raise further differential diagnostic questions. Personalized follow-up could help address these issues.The planned Special Issue discusses the complications of and diseases associated with CeD at diagnosis, and the effect of the GFD on these. Further clinical questions, e.g., differential diagnosis, the management of associated diseases, and personalized approaches during follow-up will also be discussed. Studies that deal with changing symptoms, levels of macro- and micronutrients, body mass index and body composition, bone metabolism, microbiome, quality of life, and dietary counselling during a GFD are welcomed. We also welcome materials related to refractory CeD.

Dr. Judit Bajor
Guest Editor

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