Coeliac Disease <i>The Presence in Wheat of a Factor Having a Deleterious Effect in Cases of Coeliac Disease</i>

TLDR

Cereals and starches have varying effects on coeliac patients, with a provisional “wheat factor” identified as a potential cause of symptoms such as anorexia, vomiting, diarrhoea, and steatorrhoea. Wheat flour has an unfavourable effect on coeliac patients, attributed to an unknown substance rather than starch, and several conclusions about this factor’s significance are presented.

Abstract

Summary Attention is drawn to the different effects of different kinds of cereals and starches on patients with coeliac disease. The effect of wheat flour is unfavourable while that of wheat starch is harmless. The harmful effect is produced by a still unknown substance and not by starch. The substance in question is provisionally called the “wheat factor.” The effect of this factor is judged according to its ability to produce or aggravate anorexia, vomiting, diarrhoea and steatorrhoea. Several conclusions as to the significance of this factor are presented.