Visit the Microscopic Colitis Foundation Website
A post that Kari wrote, in another thread, inspired me to write this post, and I thought that it was such an important subject, that rather than adding it to that existing thread, as another response, I decided to start a new topic.
Have we previously discussed the fact that untreated gluten-sensitivity is associated with an elevated stroke risk? I don't recall doing so, but my memory isn't what it used to be, so maybe I'm overlooking something. At any rate, here's a quote from a new study on this topic, that was released last month, in which researchers determined the stroke risk for celiac disease, based on 28,000 cases of diagnosed celiac disease, in Sweden:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar ... 5711001157Results
During follow-up, there were 785 first-stroke diagnoses in patients with CD and 2937 in reference individuals. Patients with CD were at increased risk of stroke (HR 1.10; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.19). HRs were similar for ischemic stroke and brain hemorrhage and were not affected by adjustment for type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, use of medication against hypertension, or dyslipidemia. The absolute risk of stroke in patients with CD was 267 per 100,000 person-years (excess risk 24/100,000). The highest risk estimates occurred in the first year, with virtually no increased risk after more than 5 years of follow-up after CD diagnosis. The HR for stroke in childhood CD was 1.10 (95% CI 0.37-3.22).
Now, notice that only patients who had actually been diagnosed with celiac disease were considered in the study, and the stroke risk was highest at diagnosis, and declined with time, (presumably due to treatment by means of a gluten-free diet), so that after 5 years, no significant increased risk was noted. The conclusion of the researchers was that increased risk of stroke for diagnosed, (and therefore, treated), celiacs was not a major concern.
However, what this study does not discuss, is of much greater importance, IMO. It does not mention all of the undiagnosed celiacs, and others with gluten-sensitivity, who are not being treated by a GF diet. As far as I can tell, the study results definitely imply that those undiagnosed, (and untreated), individuals are definitely at an elevated stroke risk, and there is absolutely no reason to believe that their stroke risk will decline, as time passes, so long as their gluten-sensitivity remains untreated. In fact, logic would dictate that their stroke risk probably increases as time passes, as long as they remain untreated.
Note that this is not part of the researcher's conclusions, it's strictly my interpretation of what the results of the study indicate, based on the facts presented in the report. Therefore, IMO, preventing an elevated stroke risk is another incentive, (and a very powerful incentive, IMO), to follow the GF diet, for anyone who is sensitive to gluten, because clearly, according to the conclusion reached by the researchers, faithfully following the GF diet will, (over time), eliminate that increased stroke risk.
Does anyone see anything incorrect, or contrary to logic, in my interpretation?
Love,
Tex
. I certainly feel much better than I have in a very long time.
