A new study has found that about 1.8 million Americans suffer from celiac disease, an immune-based condition brought on by the consumption of gluten in genetically susceptible patients.
Researchers from the American Gastroenterological Association have ruled out that among patients diagnosed with celiac disease by small intestinal biopsy in the U.S., those from the Punjab region of India have the highest rates of disease.
Lead author Benjamin Lebwohl, MD, Herbert Irving Assistant Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University Medical Center, New York, said while celiac disease was previously thought to be a disease predominantly affecting Caucasian Europeans, it is now recognized as one of the most common hereditary disorders worldwide.
"Our findings help shed light on the distribution of celiac disease in the U.S. and will aid gastroenterologists in diagnosing their patients," he added.
Research found that celiac disease was most common among Americans from the Punjab region of India and was significantly less common among U.S. residents of South Indian, East Asian and Hispanic ancestry.
The study is published in the journal of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
