Why Are So Many GI Specialists So Incompetent?

[tex]

Hi All,

We all know that celiac disease has an intolerably-low diagnostic rate, and an unacceptable rate of missed diagnoses. Apparently, a primary reason for this is just plain sloppy work by the doctors, when taking biopsy samples. The following results are from a huge study:

The investigators identified 132,352 individuals who underwent biopsy between 2006 and 2009, for a variety of medical indications, including diarrhea, abdominal pain, esophageal reflux, and anemia. Only 35 percent of this group had at least four specimens submitted, and the most common number of specimens submitted was two.

Even when physicians indicated that they were suspicious of celiac disease (e.g., when patients had positive celiac disease blood tests), fewer than 40 percent of patients had at least four specimens submitted; the diagnosis was increased sevenfold when the guidelines were followed.

The red emphasis is mine, of course. Is that incredible, or what?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 092437.htm

Tex

[patc73]

I believe it! Looking back, I'm sure I've been gluten intolerant most of my life, and despite colonoscopies and even gall bladder surgery in the past, no doctor ever thought to biopsy me and find out why I have so many digestive problems. I've thought in the past I had IBS, chronic urticaria, food allergies, etc., but all along it was gluten sensitivity and dermatitis herpetiformis. Now that I (finally) have the CC diagnosis, I hope that we as a group can help doctors learn how to better screen their patients and uncover this disease, so people don't have to suffer as long as we did. I remember saying to my family at one point, "I just want someone to tell me what to eat so I can get better!"