Celiac disease, mostly women affected and 220,000 do not know they have it
More than 1% of the Italian population is affected by the disease with around 300,000 people still undiagnosed: the need to train health workers and inform the population
by Rossella Valmarana *
Coeliac disease has an increasingly female face. In Italia, 70% of diagnoses concern women: around two out of three cases. Yet for many, the disease remains invisible, and it is estimated that around 220,000 live with coeliac disease without knowing it. The symptoms, in fact, do not always manifest themselves in the intestines but are often 'non-classical' or attributed to other pathologies.
Data
According to data from the Ministry of Health (Annual Report to Parliament 2024), in Italy there are 279,512 people diagnosed with coeliac disease: 194,274 women (70 per cent) and 85,238 men (30 per cent), with a male-female ratio of 1:2, confirming the clear prevalence of women throughout the country. But the real number is much higher as coeliac disease affects more than 1% of the population: estimated cases exceed 600,000, with more than 300,000 people still undiagnosed.
"Chameleon" disease
Often called a 'chameleon' disease due to the variety of its manifestations, coeliac disease is a chronic inflammation of the small intestine triggered by the ingestion of gluten in genetically predisposed individuals. It can occur at any age and, in undiagnosed women, frequently presents with problems of the reproductive system (infertility, endometriosis, cycle irregularities, premature menopause), anaemia or osteoporosis.
Pregnancy can also be exposed to risks, including miscarriage, intrauterine growth retardation, low birth weight or prematurity. These are compounded by malabsorption of essential nutrients, such as iron and folic acid, with possible even serious consequences in the absence of timely diagnosis. Approximately one in two cases presents with anaemia, which is linked to iron malabsorption and intestinal inflammation, a condition that also affects women more frequently as a result of the menstrual cycle and can last a long time without early diagnosis.
More training
Raising awareness among health professionals is crucial to encourage early diagnosis and enable patients to embark on the gluten-free diet, today the only available therapy that can prevent complications, promote remission of symptoms and improve quality of life. In this context, it is essential to strengthen awareness and training of the medical profession to recognise even atypical manifestations of the disease.
