The CEDAR Study

The CEDAR Study - CE liac D isease A utommunity R esearch - is studying the association between celiac disease, autoimmunity, and environmental factors. Celiac disease is intolerance to gliadin - a type of gluten, which is a protein, found in foods containing wheat, oats, rye or barley. It develops when the body's own immune system attacks the small intestines, damaging the lining of the intestinal wall. The damaged intestines are unable to absorb nutrients into the blood stream and this may cause malnutrition, dramatic weight loss, short stature, anemia, cancer and other complications if left untreated. All DAISY participants are tested annually for the antibody associated with celiac disease called TGIgA (Transglutaminase autoantibody) in hopes to establish non-invasive means of testing for celiac disease, determine the prevalence of celiac disease in the United States, document the variations of symptoms between individuals, and determine which environmental and genetic factors influence the development of celiac disease. Subjects with positive antibody tests are advised to have a small bowel biopsy, which is the gold standard for diagnosing the disease, to confirm diagnosis and assess the degree of intestinal damage. The only treatment for celiac disease is the life-long adherence to a gluten-free diet. When gluten is removed from the diet, the small intestine will start to heal and overall health improves.