By Faten Omar

KUWAIT: Consultant in internal medicine, gastroenterology and liver transplant Dr Wafaa Al-Hashash said around 120,000 Kuwaitis are infected with coeliac disease, which is a condition where the immune system attacks its tissues when the person ingests gluten. Dr Hashash said around 1.7 million people in GCC countries have coeliac disease, according to a study conducted by Saudi Arabia, which revealed the rate of infection in GCC countries is around 3 percent, while in Europe, it ranges between 1 and 1.5 percent.

"It is an autoimmune disease of the small intestine triggered by gluten. The disease is a genetic disorder, and affects relatives and children," she told Kuwait Times, noting that there are high-risk groups for contracting the disease, including first and second-degree relatives of the affected patient - 9 percent for siblings, 8 percent for children, and 3 percent for parents. Dr Hashash said coeliac disease symptoms are considered as silent and vague in most patients, where only one out of seven people show symptoms. "The symptoms are diarrhea, fatigue, bloating and gas, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and constipation," she said.

Dr Hashash affirmed that complications of coeliac disease only tend to affect people who continue to eat gluten, or those who have not yet been diagnosed with the condition, which can be a common problem in milder cases, adding that potential long-term complications include osteoporosis, iron deficiency, anemia, vitamin B12 and D deficiency, in addition to more serious complications including some types of cancers, such as bowel cancer, and problems affecting pregnancy, such as the baby having a low birth weight.

Dr Hashashcalled for more awareness in the Kuwaiti society, where patients should take the matter seriously and there should be continuous visits to the gastroenterologist for early examination of the disease and detection of cancer before it is too late."Two of my patients, 14 and 21 years old, died because they tolerated the disease. One of them died of cancer and the other due to poor digestion. Her body was not absorbing food and she had a severe deficiency of vitamins, and as a result, she was admitted to the intensive care unit and died," she said.

Dr Hashash affirmed that since 2014, the disease has been taken more seriously by the government, where the ministry of health is now distributing gluten-free supplies for coeliac disease patients. Kuwait Flour Mills is now producing a full line of gluten-free products and was the first company, not only in Kuwait but in Middle East, to produce gluten-free products. Gluten-free products are not supposed to be made on the same machines and tools for regular flour bread.

Dr Hashash stressed that coeliac disease is a disease that cannot be ignored or underestimated, indicating that although it mostly affects children, is not limited to a certain age, as infections are most prevalent in those aged 10 to 40. She stated there is no cure for coeliac disease, but a gluten-free diet helps control the disease and prevents long-term complications. She warned the disease burdens the health system, as these cases require early diagnosis, provision of necessary treatment and medical follow-up, and the solution lies in educating the community about the disease and developing strategic plans to ensure early detection.