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A PubMed search encompassing the final decade of the last millennium using the search term “celiac disease” retrieves about 3000 publications. An identical search of the first decade of this millennium retrieves almost 6000 published papers. This doubling of publications reflects the enormous progress made in the past 20 years toward our understanding of the pathogenesis of celiac disease as well as an increased appreciation of its high prevalence, diverse manifestations, and complications. This increase in our understanding of this disease has been facilitated, at least in part, by the development of sensitive serologic diagnostic methods. Because many patients with celiac disease remain undiagnosed, it is important to increase awareness among a wide array of clinicians of the manifestations, approach to diagnosis, and management of this treatable disease.

With the publication of the second edition of Fast Facts: Celiac Disease, the authors' stated goal is to offer a concise account of celiac disease and explore the latest findings in relation to its diagnosis and management. These celiac disease experts have provided chapters that cover the salient aspects of epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical features, complications, diagnosis, and treatment. Three additional brief chapters define the spectrum of the celiac iceberg ranging from latent to blatant disease, describe the interrelationship of dermatitis herpetiformis and celiac disease, and discuss “Future Trends,” emphasizing potential future therapeutic targets and strategies.

Consistent with the authors' goal, this paperback, with 128 pocket book-sized pages, is concise and, for a printed volume, quite up-to-date. Color photomicrographs, photos of gross pathology specimens, diagnostic images, schematic diagrams, and graphs and tables, most of which are useful and informative, are generously interspersed with the text.

The text is not referenced, but between 4 and 12 references, which draw heavily on the authors' publications, are provided at the end of each chapter. Most references are recent and published since the start of this decade. As a result, some seminal observations are not referenced. For example, a reference to the 1998 identification by Schuppan and co-workers that tissue transglutaminase is the autoantigen in celiac disease is not included. As written and referenced, it may be difficult for those not familiar with the field to always be certain which of the authors' recommendations and conclusions are based on firm evidence and which are based on observation or opinion.

There are a few statements in the book that may be viewed as controversial. For example, the authors indicate in more than 1 chapter that a flat, small, intestinal mucosal biopsy retrieved from a patient in the Western world almost certainly indicates a diagnosis of celiac disease. However, flat proximal mucosal histology is not that specific and can be observed in other “Western” diseases that trigger mucosal inflammation, including small intestinal bacterial overgrowth syndrome, eosinophilic enteritis, Crohn's disease that involves the proximal intestine, gastrinoma, refractory sprue syndromes, and, especially in infants and toddlers, viral enteritis. The frequent association of celiac disease with a variety of other diseases is generally well covered, although the significant prevalence of celiac disease among patients previously diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome is not discussed.

Those comments aside, Fast Facts: Celiac Disease is well written and easy to read. The reader can obtain much information rapidly, as the title implies. The chapters that cover epidemiology and management are especially informative, and the last chapter on future trends is provocative.

Bottom Line: Although not a definitive text on celiac disease for the specialist, this reasonably priced monograph does achieve its goal of providing relevant and up-to-date facts about celiac disease in an easily readable format with reader-friendly illustrations and tables. It provides a useful resource for students, house staff, and primary care providers.