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Foreword
Celiac Disease, Gluten-Free, and
To d a y ’s Fa s h i o n i s t a

Alan L. Buchman, MD, MSPH, FACN, FACG, FACP, AGAF

Consulting Editor

First described by the famous ancient Greek physician Aretaeus of Cappadocia, “ce-
liac” and the later-described “gluten-free” have become buzz words during this millen-
nium. Individuals claim they feel much better when consuming a gluten-free diet. Is this
gluten sensitivity? Is it a real disease entity? Rigorous studies have begun to investi-
gate this in a scientific manor. A famous chef in Chicago once told me a number of
years ago when restaurants were forced to come out with gluten-free menus that
the same individuals who requested gluten-free meals were the same ones ordering
bread pudding for dessert. “Gluten-free” has become a marketing call as great as,
“Remember the Alamo.” I’m sure gluten-free steak and potatoes are available,
perhaps under the moniker, “Never had it, never will.” Disease recognition is not al-
ways good for the disease and those it afflicts; the true facts often become distorted
and diluted, although celiac disease likely continues to be underdiagnosed at the
same time. In this issue of Gastroenterology Clinics of North America, Ben Lebwohl
and Peter Green, two stalwarts in the field of celiac disease, have assembled an
outstanding group of investigators who provide us with the latest facts about the dis-
ease, the breadth of the concern, and what we know about who it effects, why it affects
them, how it affects them, and what effected individuals can do. We recognize now
that the intestinal microbiome likely has a role in the development, and perhaps man-
agement, of celiac disease, perhaps through interaction with genetics. Celiac disease
is a systemic disease that has been linked to extraintestinal organs as well as other
autoimmune diseases. Although many investigational therapies have failed, others
have shown promise as they advance to later-stage clinical trials. This is exciting

Gastroenterol Clin N Am - (2018) -–-

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gtc.2018.10.002 gastro.theclinics.com
0889-8553/18/ª 2018 Published by Elsevier Inc.
ii Foreword

news for the person who really does have celiac disease and really wants to eat that
bread pudding.

Alan L. Buchman, MD, MSPH, FACN, FACG, FACP, AGAF

Intestinal Rehabilitation and Transplant Center
Department of Surgery
College of Medicine
The University of Illinois at Chicago
840 South Wood Street, Suite 402 Clinical Sciences Building, MC 958
Chicago, IL 60612, USA
Health Care Services Corporation
300 E. Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60601, USA
E-mail address:
buchman@uic.edu