Celiac sprue is an immunologic response to gluten. The diagnosis is based on an abnormal biopsy. This is just suggestive of the disorder. It s confirmed by restriction of gluten in your diet. This is tough.
Complications are lymphoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, ulcerations and carcinoma.
This is an example of a normal appearing small bowel with a normal villus pattern. You can see the nice glistening mucosa. When you look at that histologically, you get villi that are nice, normal. In patients with sprue, completely blunted. Tropical sprue is a similar biopsy.