[Native sprue].

Celiac disease is a chronic inflammatory intestinal disorder caused by gluten. Nowadays the clinical picture has shifted towards mainly atypical mild forms. Among these may be liver, rheumatic, gynecologic, dermatologic as well as neurologic diseases. Increased incidences have been reported in autoimmune diseases like diabetes mellitus type 1, IgA-deficiency and other autoimmune diseases. Altogether, epidemiologic studies have shown that celiac disease may be found as often as 1 in 300 persons. Differential diagnosis of refractory sprue has to account several different diseases. Besides an increased risk for lymphoma, also an increased risk for other malignancies like esophageal carcinoma has been described.