Abstract
Introduction. Celiac disease is a chronic bowel disease with a prevalence of 1% in the general population. This condition, immune-mediated, may exhibit multiple extra-intestinal changes, including the liver.
Case presentation. We present the case of a 43-year-old patient presenting in our clinic for fatigue, associated with cytolytic and cholestatic hepatic syndrome with an onset of 10 years. During this time, the patient performed multiple investigations with the exclusion of viral, autoimmune etiology, primitive biliary cirrhosis and Wilson's disease. An abdominal ultrasound recorded an elongated, with an infundibular septum gallbladder. Abdominal computer tomography did not detect any changes. The final diagnosis is chronic alithiasic cholecystitis receiving hepatoprotective treatment with symptom relief and improved hepatic disorders. Over the past 2 years, the patient was diagnosed with osteoporosis (T score = -2.7 followed by treatment with Calcium and Vitamin D and improvement in T score to -2.1), and an iron deficiency anemia corrected with oral iron treatment. Upon resuming the anamnesis, we notice the presence of an intermittent bloating associated with diarrhea. Positive anti-transglutaminase antibodies required upper endoscopy with biopsy witch confirmed celiac disease.
Conclusion. Despite the rather low prevalence of celiac disease in the etiology of hepatocytolysis, it is important to investigate its presence in the context of hepatic changes with uncertain etiology. This case motivates us to be rigorous in looking for secondary causes of hepatic impairment even in patients with apparently benign changes.