Overview

• Silent coeliac disease affects one-third of patients, showing no traditional symptoms like diarrhoea or weight loss.
• Key subtle signs include unexplained anaemia, low bone density, nerve damage, and a skin rash called dermatitis herpetiformis.
• Infertility may also signal coeliac disease, with studies finding 3% of women facing infertility were diagnosed with the condition.
• Blood antibody testing while consuming gluten remains the most reliable diagnostic method for coeliac disease.
• A strict gluten-free diet is the primary treatment, allowing the gut to heal and preventing severe complications like osteoporosis and nerve damage.