printable versionCeliac sprue conference takes place Sept. 16
The School of Medicine is gearing up for its 7th annual conference on celiac sprue, an autoimmune disease that leads to an inability to digest gluten, a major protein in wheat, rye and barley products.
The Sept. 16 daylong event at the medical school's Fairchild Auditorium begins at 8:30 a.m. and is open to both community members and health-care providers. Along with lectures on disease management and treatment updates, the conference will feature a Q&A session with celiac experts, special programs for teenagers and younger children and gluten-free meals and snacks.
Celiac sprue is estimated to afflict as many as one in 200 Americans. Symptoms vary: There can be weight loss, diarrhea, growth failure or no symptoms at all, making the disease difficult to diagnose. The disorder has no cure; the only treatment is a gluten-free diet.
The conference is sponsored by the Departments of Pediatrics and of Medicine (Division of Gastroenterology) and hosted by volunteers from the Celiac Sprue Research Foundation and the San Francisco Bay Area Celiac Support Groups. For questions or to register, contact Janis Foss at jfoss@celiacsprue.org or 251-9865.