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 Peer reviewThis article has been subject to double-blind review and checked using antiplagiarism software
Conflict of interestNone declared
Received: 01 August 2015
Accepted: 21 January 2016
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