Adult coeliac disease.

Coeliac disease is an auto-immune inflammatory reaction characterized by a partial or total villi's atrophy of the proximal small intestine occuring after ingestion of gluten in genetically predisposed patients. The classic form is much more frequent in children. Thereby there has been a misevaluation and improper treatment of coeliac disease in adults who suffer more from asymptomatica and atypical forms. Currently the only effective treatment is a strict gluten free diet for life. However recent researches brought a new light on the matter. Now oats as a causative factor is controvertial. The introduction of some moderate intestinal lesions (pre-atrophic with intra-epithelial hyperlymphocytosis qualified as "weak enteropathies") in the definition of coeliac disease might be possible. Moreover the way to diagnose has evolved as serological tests and markers are more used due to their efficiency.