Celiac Disease and its Therapy: Current Approaches and New Advances

Celiac disease is an immune-mediated enteropathy triggered by exposure to gluten in genetically susceptible individuals. Although serological testing has increased the detection of celiac disease, small bowel biopsies are required to confirm the diagnosis. Currently, the only effective treatment is a lifelong strict gluten-free diet. Though safe and effective, this is not ideal because of the expense, impact on quality of life, and inability to achieve complete histologic remission despite strict adherence to a gluten-free diet, which may impact survival. Advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis of celiac disease have led to the identification of new therapies for treatment of celiac disease. This review will discuss the current approach and the evolving novel therapeutic strategies under investigation as alternatives to a gluten-free diet.