Postbulbar duodenal ulceration and stenosis associated with celiac disease.

The case histories of five patients with celiac disease and postbulbar duodenal ulceration and stenosis are presented. Celiac disease was unexpected in three of the five patients until endoscopic biopsy revealed villous atrophy. Our findings suggest that duodenal ulceration and stenosis may be a more common complication of celiac disease than previously thought and may precede the clinical diagnosis of celiac disease or occur when there are minimal symptoms and nonspecific radiographic findings for the disease.