Recognize and diagnose celiac disease

Explanation:

Sprue (celiac disease) presents with chronic diarrhea and evidence of malabsorption by the proximal small bowel. Typically patients are anemic (dec. Fe and Folate absorption ). May also be hypocalcemic and hypomagnesemic. Steattorhea is rare. Dermatitis herpetiformis can be seen with sprue. The principle procedure for diagnosis is small bowel biopsy. In a patient in whom you have a low suspicion of sprue, a negative anti-endomysial antibody virtually excludes this diagnosis