Inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease have a common connection, according to a new study published in Gastroenterology and reported by Medical Dialogues.
Researchers conducted a literature review of 9,800 studies, including 65 in their final analysis. The studies were published between 1978 and 2019. Forty-three studies were conducted with adults, 12 with children and nine were all-ages. The patient base included 13.6 million control group participants, 43,000 celiac patients and 166,000 IBD patients.
The study confirmed the widely held belief that the diseases are linked. Celiac patients are nine times more likely to develop IBD, and IBD patients are more likely to develop celiac disease, albeit at a lower multiple.
Researchers said the next step will be to determine whether testing for the diseases is cost-effective and beneficial to patients.