Editorial: Celiac disease in Turkey: lessons from the fertile crescent.

Abstract

Celiac disease (CD) is as frequent in Turkey as in Western countries. This finding challenges old theories hypothesizing a selective effect of agriculture spreading on the predisposition to develop CD. Despite the availability of reliable serological tests, e.g., the anti-transglutaminase and antiendomysial antibodies, gray areas of CD diagnosis are increasingly encountered in clinical practice. The diagnostic process must take into consideration the antibody level. The small intestinal biopsy is not the gold standard but one of the important investigations of the diagnostic paraphernalia. New evidence-based guidelines for CD diagnosis are urgently needed for both children and adults.