Online Course "Celiac Facts" for Physicians & Dietitians

Themen dieses Kurses

• Introduction

  
  
  

  With 5 Million people affected in the European Union, celiac disease (CeD) is one of the most common chronic diseases in children and adults. Although reliable serology markers allow easy and inexpensive testing, many patients remain undetected and unnecessarily suffer from symptoms and potential long-term health consequences. One of the reasons for the low diagnostic rate is that CeD may present with a wide variety of symptoms and is, therefore, named as a clinical chameleon.
  

  If a patient is identified and the guidelines are followed, the diagnosis is usually straightforward. However, it’s important to know about the pitfalls and unreliable tests in order to prevent misdiagnosis.
  

  The treatment for CeD is a strict and life-long gluten-free diet, which is very effective but also has major impact on the patient’s daily life, eating habits and psychological wellbeing. 
  

  We invite you to learn more about this common food induced disease in order to identify celiac patients who will benefit from a gluten-free diet.

     

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• Unit 1 - Background, Clinical Manifestation and Diagnosis of Celiac Disease

  
  

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  In Unit 1 you will learn about the prevalence of CeD in the general population and in risk groups. You will understand the impact of the genetic predisposition and potential environmental factors that may be involved in the CeD development. 

  As CeD can present with a huge variety of symptoms which are not restricted to the gastrointestinal tract, it's important to know these symptoms in order to identify patients who should be tested. 

  Of course, you will also explore the different diagnostic approaches and learn which tests are reliable and when you have to be aware of pitfalls that may lead to both false negative or positive diagnosis of CeD. 

  The likely duration that the reader will need to engage with the material is 75 minutes.
  

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  View here the content and learning aims of Unit 1

  

  

  

  

• Unit 2 Therapy and Monitoring of Celiac Disease

  
  

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  The only available treatment for celiac disease is a strict and lifelong gluten-free diet. On a gluten-free diet, symptoms will improve or even completely resolve in most cases, the antibody levels will gradually normalize and the intestine will usually  recover. 

  Since gluten is contained in a wide variety of commonly eaten foods, the necessary dietary adjustments after a confirmed diagnosis can be challenging. Good knowledge about the gluten-free diet and its implications on daily life are essential to avoid dietary mistakes and involuntary gluten ingestion.

  With the gluten-free diet, all nutrient requirements can be met and dietary supplements are usually not necessary. Although generally healthy, the gluten-free diet requires more careful food choices than a normal diet, especially when certain co-morbidities or lifestyle choices are present as well.

  Besides the medical aspects of celiac disease, including follow-up examinations and co-morbidities, healthcare professionals should be aware of the psychosocial effects celiac disease can have on patients and their families. Good education and peer support/ mentoring from celiac societies/ organizations and/or psychology support are important factors in helping overcome emotional difficulties after diagnosis. 

  The likely duration that the reader will need to engage with the material is 75 minutes.

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  View here the content and learning aims of Unit 2