The problem of excessive hair loss as a signal for the diagnosis of coeliac disease – A family case

Abstract

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the small intestine is damaged after ingesting gluten. Baldness often co-occurs with various systemic diseases including autoimmune diseases. In addition, alopecia can result from nutritional deficiencies. In the case of celiac disease, we are mainly talking about deficiencies of iron, fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E,K), vitamin B12 and folic acid. Telogenetic alopecia (TE) is diffuse and reversible alopecia, and the causes of this condition can be nutritional deficiencies and impaired absorption. Celiac disease has been linked to alopecia areata (AA). We describe the case of a mother and daughter with a history of hair loss, which represented the only incipient (mother’s case) and subsequent (daughter’s case) extraintestinal manifestation of celiac disease.