# Celiac Crisis: A Rare Medical Emergency Case Report in Adult Celiac Disease

**Authors:** Mais Musleh, Amani AlMokbel

PMC · DOI: 10.1155/crgm/6259846 · 2025-04-28

## TL;DR

This paper reports a rare case of celiac crisis in a pregnant woman, emphasizing the need for early diagnosis and treatment to prevent severe complications.

## Contribution

The novelty lies in presenting a rare case of celiac crisis in pregnancy and highlighting its management with a gluten-free diet and corticosteroids.

## Key findings

- Celiac crisis can present with severe dehydration and steatorrhea in undiagnosed celiac disease.
- Prompt treatment with a gluten-free diet and corticosteroids led to rapid improvement in the patient.
- Early recognition of celiac crisis is crucial to prevent maternal and fetal complications.

## Abstract

Celiac crisis (CC) is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of celiac disease (CD), characterized by severe diarrhea, electrolyte imbalances, and metabolic disturbances. We report the case of a 32-year-old pregnant woman presented significant dehydration, weight loss, and steatorrheic stools. Diagnosis was confirmed by duodenal biopsy, with rapid improvement following a gluten-free diet (GFD) and corticosteroids. The diagnosis of CC was established based on the acute clinical presentation and rapid improvement following a GFD and corticosteroid therapy. This case highlights the importance of early recognition and prompt management of CC, particularly in undiagnosed or untreated CD, to prevent severe maternal and fetal complications.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** celiac disease (MONDO:0005130)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** metabolic disturbances (MESH:D024821), diarrhea (MESH:D003967), CC (MESH:D002446), dehydration (MESH:D003681), weight loss (MESH:D015431)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12052456