Are silent and latent celiac disease the same condition?
Yes, they are both celiac disease, but describe different manifestations of the disorder. The terms “silent” and “latent” pertain to those individuals who have celiac disease but have yet to develop the signs or symptoms associated with the disease. For example, latent celiac disease refers to disease sufferers who present abnormal blood tests, but have normal small intestines and/or no symptoms of celiac disease. This latency means that patients will develop sign and symptoms of the condition later in life. Persons with silent celiac disease have both abnormal antibody counts in blood test and loss of villi within the small intestine, yet fail to exhibit the signs and symptoms of the disease. This can even occur on a normal diet, or one that contains abundant amounts of gluten. Like latent celiac disease, these patients can present signs and symptoms later in life.
