Autoimmune Adrenal Insufficiency in Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is an immune-mediated intestinal disorder that may be associated with other immunemediated extra-intestinal disorders, including immune-mediated endocrine diseases, such as autoimmune thyroiditis, most often with hypothyroidism. Other monoglandular autoimmune endocrine disorders may also occur, including autoimmune adrenal insufficiency (Addison’s disease). In celiac disease, clinical features of adrenal failure may be limited, difficult to differentiate from symptoms that might be attributed to celiac disease, or even life-threatening. In others with celiac disease, a polyglandular autoimmune syndrome has also been reported. Recent screening studies from multiple countries, particularly in Europe, have indicated that patients with autoimmune adrenal failure or Addison’s disease should be carefully screened for occult or silent celiac disease. Up to 10% of Addisonian patients may be serologically positive and histopathological features of untreated celiac disease may be detected, even with clinically occult intestinal disease. Celiac disease patients with a monoglandular autoimmune disorder should also be followed carefully for the later appearance of other autoimmune endocrine disorders as these may not all appear at the time of diagnosis of celiac disease, but sporadically during the life-long clinical course of celiac disease.