Celiac disease may express itself as tetany due to entnteropathy and specific malnutrition in the total absence of gastrointestinal symptoms. - GreenMedInfo Summary
[Tetany--a first symptom of celiac disease].
Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2000 Mar 30;120(9):1034-6. PMID: 10833962
Barneavdelingen Sentralsykehuset Ostfold Fredrikstad.
BACKGROUND: Seizures in children are usually caused by fever or epilepsy, though they may also be caused by electrolyte, vitamin or mineral disturbances. We describe a case of hypocalcaemic tetany with hypovitaminosis D. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The patient was a previously healthy eight months old girl of Indian origin. RESULTS: Investigations revealed that she suffered from coeliac disease. INTERPRETATION: Coeliac disease is a well-known disorder, characterised by enteropathy and malabsorption causing symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea and failure to thrive. Enteropathy and specific malnutrition may occur in the total absence of gastrointestinal symptoms.