1Medizinische Klinik für Gastroenterologie, Infektiologie und Rheumatologie, Charité, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
International Journal of Celiac Disease.
2014,
Vol. 2 No. 1, 33-37
DOI: 10.12691/ijcd-2-1-10
Copyright © 2014 Science and Education PublishingCite this paper: Michael Schumann, Christian Bojarski, Verena Moos, Severin Daum. Refractory Celiac Disease New Diagnostic Approaches and Current Treatment.
International Journal of Celiac Disease. 2014; 2(1):33-37. doi: 10.12691/ijcd-2-1-10.
Correspondence to: Michael Schumann, Medizinische Klinik für Gastroenterologie, Infektiologie und Rheumatologie, Charité, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany. Email:
michael.schumann@charitte.deAbstract
Since refractory celiac disease (RCD) may cause severe complications and is associated with a poor prognosis in a portion of patients, early diagnosis and treatment is of importance. Current diagnostics include complex PCR-based molecular pathology and FACS techniques in order to differentiate type I and type II RCD, the latter being associated with the development of an enteropathy-associated T cell lymphoma (EATL). Recently established treatment options also include high-dose chemotherapeutic regimens for RCD type II which have significantly improved survival. However, treatment strategies are highly individual targeting also complications of malabsorption and should be started in the RCD phase of the disease. Therefore, adequate diagnostics are pivotal for patient outcome.