Celiac disease, also known as “celiac sprue”, is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the small intestine, produced by the ingestion of dietary gluten products in susceptible people. It is a multifactorial disease, including genetic and environmental factors. Environmental trigger is represented by gluten while the genetic predisposition has been identified in the major histocompatibility complex region. Celiac disease is not a rare disorder like previously thought, with a global prevalence around 1%. The reason of its under-recognition is mainly referable to the fact that about half of affected people do not have the classic gastrointestinal symptoms, but they present nonspecific manifestations of nutritional deficiency or have no symptoms at all. Here we review the most recent data concerning epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, available diagnostic tests and therapeutic management of celiac disease.

cSEMSs for treatment of ABSs needed less endoscopic interventions to achieve similar efficacy as MPS and might become a new treatment standard. However, the optimal duration of cSEMS therapy and cost-efficacy have to be evaluated. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT01393067.).

In a multicenter randomized trial of patients with PSC and a dominant stricture, short-term stents were not superior to balloon dilatation and were associated with a significantly higher occurrence of treatment-related SAEs. Balloon dilatation should be the initial treatment of choice for dominant strictures in patients with PSC. This may be particularly relevant to patients with an intact papilla. ClinicalTrials.gov no. NCT01398917.