Gluten-related disorders: symptoms, diagnosis and management
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Gluten-related disorders: symptoms, diagnosis and management

Patricia Jackson Allen Professor emerita, Yale University School of Nursing, New Haven, US

Patricia Jackson Allen highlights the symptoms nurse practitioners need to be aware of to help screen and support patients with gluten-related conditions

Gluten intolerance is thought to affect many people worldwide and results in a myriad of symptoms that adversely affect quality of life. Those with an innate or adaptive immune-mediated enteropathy to gluten (coeliac disease), an antigen-triggered allergic reaction to gluten (gluten allergy) or sensitivity to ingested gluten-containing foods (non-coeliac gluten sensitivity) have gluten-related disorders. Signs and symptoms of these disorders are often indistinguishable, but the pathogenic processes vary, with potential health consequences. The nurse practitioner must: have a high index of suspicion for gluten-related conditions in individuals with a history of gastrointestinal symptoms; assure appropriate screening and testing is undertaken; assist in establishing a gluten-free diet; and manage associated health conditions so that optimal health and quality of life can be attained.

Primary Health Care. 26, 5, 20-27. doi: 10.7748/phc.26.5.20.s28

Correspondence

pat.jacksonallen@yale.edu

Peer review

This article has been subject to double-blind review and checked using antiplagiarism software

Conflict of interest

None declared

Received: 01 August 2015

Accepted: 21 January 2016

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