A 38-year-old woman went to doctors because her liver wasn’t working properly. She also had painful mouth sores for over a year and joint pain. After many tests, doctors found she had celiac disease - a condition where eating gluten damages the intestines. When she stopped eating gluten, her liver function returned to normal within 3 months and her mouth sores disappeared. This case shows that celiac disease can cause problems beyond just stomach issues, making it harder to diagnose.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How celiac disease can cause liver problems and other symptoms that don’t seem related to eating gluten
  • Who participated: One 38-year-old woman with abnormal liver tests, mouth sores, and joint pain
  • Key finding: Going gluten-free fixed her liver function within 3 months and stopped her mouth sores completely
  • What it means for you: If you have unexplained liver problems, mouth sores, or joint pain, ask your doctor about testing for celiac disease - even if you don’t have stomach problems

The Research Details

This is a case report, which means doctors are sharing the story of one patient to help other doctors recognize similar patterns. The woman was referred to a stomach specialist because blood tests showed her liver wasn’t working properly. She had no obvious reasons for liver problems - she didn’t drink too much alcohol, take harmful medications, or have diabetes.

Case reports like this are important because they help doctors recognize unusual ways that diseases can show up. This case suggests that celiac disease might be changing how it appears in patients, showing up as liver problems instead of the typical stomach issues.

While this is just one person’s story, it was published in a medical journal and includes proper testing methods. The doctors followed the patient for over a year to make sure the treatment worked long-term.

What the Results Show

The woman’s liver function tests were abnormal when she first came to the doctor, but all other liver-related tests were normal. She had been dealing with painful mouth sores for 18 months and joint pain with morning stiffness. Blood tests and intestinal biopsies confirmed she had celiac disease. Within 3 months of starting a strict gluten-free diet, her liver function returned to completely normal levels.

Her mouth sores completely disappeared after going gluten-free, and her liver function stayed normal for the entire 12-month follow-up period. She was overweight with a BMI of 36, which is different from the typical image of celiac patients being underweight.

Traditionally, celiac disease was thought to mainly cause stomach problems like diarrhea and weight loss. This case adds to growing evidence that celiac disease can show up in many different ways, including liver problems, mouth sores, and joint pain without obvious digestive symptoms.

This is just one person’s experience, so we can’t say this will happen for everyone. We don’t know how common this type of presentation is or whether other factors might have contributed to her symptoms.

The Bottom Line

If you have unexplained liver problems, recurring mouth sores, or joint pain, consider asking your doctor about celiac disease testing, even if you don’t have stomach problems. A strict gluten-free diet may help if you test positive.

People with unexplained liver function problems, chronic mouth ulcers, or joint pain should discuss this with their healthcare provider. Those already diagnosed with celiac disease can feel confident that following a gluten-free diet may help symptoms beyond just digestive issues.

In this case, liver function improved within 3 months of going gluten-free, with benefits lasting at least 12 months. Individual results may vary.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track symptoms like mouth sores, joint stiffness, and energy levels daily, along with strict adherence to gluten-free eating
  • Log all foods and ingredients to ensure complete gluten avoidance, and monitor how symptoms change over time
  • Track symptom severity weekly and note improvements in liver-related symptoms, mouth health, and joint comfort over 3-6 months

This case report describes one person’s experience and should not replace professional medical advice. If you suspect you have celiac disease or unexplained symptoms, consult with a healthcare provider for proper testing and diagnosis before making dietary changes.