There is a growing recognition that celiac disease is more common than previously acknowledged. Many scientists believe that this gluten intolerance starts early in life. But Finnish researchers now suggest that some older people may actually develop celiac disease for the first time after middle age. They investigated 2,800 people over 55 and discovered that 2 percent of them had biopsy-confirmed celiac disease in 2002. Three years later, there were five new cases confirmed by biopsy. The scientists concluded that physicians should be vigilant for celiac disease developing later in life.
[BMC Gastroenterology, online June 29, 2009]
