From the diagnosis of celiac disease to the prospect of legislative changes

Czech version

Authors: Peter Makovický ¹; Pavol Makovický ²
Authors‘ workplace: Department of Veterinary Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, vedoucí katedry doc. MVDr. Radko Rajmon, Ph. D. ¹; Katedra špeciálnej zootechniky Slovenskej poľnohospodárskej univerzity Nitra, Slovenská republika, vedúci katedry prof. Ing. Ondrej Debrecéni, CSc. ²
Published in: Vnitř Lék 2009; 55(6): 583-586
Category: Forum

Overview

Celiac disease is diagnosed in children as well as adults. For long now, this has not been a rare diagnosis. Publications by local authors have warned, as early as 1990ies, that this disease is extremely under-diagnosed, as confirmed by current clinical practice. Despite this, it is evident that the prevalence of this disease in Slovakia and the Czech Republic is high. Currently, it is assumed that the traditional symptomatic form of the disease represents just a fraction of the overall prevalence. As a consequence to the gradual introduction of the disease screening and the efforts of the medical community to diagnose the disease in its early stages, the disease is now thought of in a surgery of a first-contact physician as well as in a specialist surgery. Continually increasing number of diagnosed patients leads to increasing demands related to their needs. Strict gluten‑free diet is the only available causal therapy. Gluten‑free products are marked with a universally recognised international symbol – crossed-out grain spike – or are labelled “gluten‑free”. Some specialized family-run businesses focusing on their production have all foodstuffs labelled. However, this labelling is rather lacking on the products sold in high street stores. Based on the increasing incidence of celiac disease in the population, or rather improved diagnostic methods and increased awareness within the medical community of this diagnosis, the authors review the possibility of labelling all food products. This would be a universally recognised symbol, or a clear warning that the product contains gluten. It is recommended that a proposal is submitted to improve legislation related to labelling of gluten-containing products. It is recommended that the products labelled as “gluten‑free” contain no gluten. It is proposed that the production of gluten‑free food products is submitted to accreditation with well‑defined methodology including strict control.

Key words:
gluten‑free diets – celiac disease – gluten – foods – systems controlling – small bowel

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