ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder which may be associated with another autoimmune or systemic disease. OBJECTIVE: To determine the links between autoimmune diseases and celiac disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Among 31 patients with a celiac disease, we selected those who had another autoimmune or systemic disease. RESULTS: We report 6 patients with such disease association: 3 with autoimmune thyroiditis including one also with Grave's disease, 2 with systemic lupus erythematosus including one also with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and 1 with temporal arteritis. CONCLUSION: The link between celiac disease and autoimmune thyroiditis or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus seems to be real but many discrepancies are observed for the other autoimmune diseases. After a literature review, we suggest a summary of effective associations between celiac disease and autoimmune or systemic diseases.
