The investigators tested 90 children with celiac disease for serum antibodies to islet cells, glutamic acid decarboxylase, insulin, and thyroperoxidase. However, further studies will be needed to determine the clinical significance of the organ-specific autoantibodies in these patients and to confirm this hypothesis. The medical journal Digestive Diseases and Sciences has recently reported that a significant number of people who have autoimmune thyroid disease also have a condition known as celiac disease.
Celiac disease causes the intestines to react abnormally to a substance called gluten.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut, and other related grains. Celiac disease is also sometimes called celiac sprue, sprue, or gluten intolerance. If you have celiac disease, your body may have difficulty absorbing nutrients from foods, leaving you malnourished, or deficient in key nutrients and vitamins. Celiac disease symptoms include various intestinal difficulties, recurring abdominal bloating and pain, nausea, gas, diarrhea, constipation, and other problems. Don't rush right out and start on a gluten-free diet, however.