celiac disease

celiac disease   n.  A chronic nutritional disturbance, usually of young children, caused by the inability to metabolize gluten, which results in malnutrition, a distended abdomen, muscle wasting, and the passage of stools having a high fat content. The disorder can be controlled by a special diet that emphasizes the elimination of all foods containing gluten.

Main Entry: celiac disease
Function: noun
: a chronic hereditary intestinal disorder in which an inability to absorb the gliadin portion of gluten results in the gliadintriggering an immune response that damages the intestinal mucosa called also celiac sprue, gluten-sensitive enteropathy, nontropical sprue, sprue

celiac disease n.
A malabsorption disease characterized by sensitivity to gluten and atrophy of the mucosa of the upper small intestine, manifested by diarrhea, steatorrhea, and nutritional and vitamin deficiencies. Also called gluten enteropathy, nontropical sprue.

celiac disease   (sē'lē-āk')  Pronunciation Key  A gastrointestinal disease characterized by an inability to absorb the protein gluten, resulting in diarrhea, the passage of stools having a high fat content, and nutritional and vitamin deficiencies. Individuals with celiac disease must avoid ingesting products made from grains containing gluten, including wheat, rye, barley, and oats.