You Are Here » Miscellaneous » Celiac Disease » How is Celiac Disease Diagnosed?
Celiac Disease
Contents of this Article
How is Celiac Disease Diagnosed?
Recognizing Celiac (pronounced - SEL-ee-ak) disease can be difficult because some of its symptoms are similar to those of other diseases. In fact, sometimes celiac disease is confused with irritable bowel syndrome, iron-deficiency anemia caused by menstrual blood loss, Crohn's disease, diverticulitis, intestinal infections, and chronic (lasting a long time) fatigue syndrome. As a result, celiac disease is commonly underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed.
Recently, researchers discovered that people with celiac disease have higher than normal levels of certain autoantibodies in their blood. Antibodies are protective proteins produced by the immune system in response to substances that the body perceives to be threatening. Autoantibodies are proteins that react against the body's own molecules or tissues. To diagnose celiac disease, physicians will usually test blood to measure levels of:
- Immunoglobulin A (IgA)
- Anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTGA)
- IgA anti-endomysium antibodies (AEA)
Before being tested, one should continue to eat a regular diet that includes foods with gluten, such as breads and pastas. If a person stops eating foods with gluten before being tested, the results may be negative for celiac disease even if celiac disease is actually present.
If the tests and symptoms suggest celiac disease, the doctor will perform a small bowel biopsy. During the biopsy, the doctor removes a tiny piece of tissue from the * small intestine to check for damage to the villi. To obtain the tissue sample, the doctor eases a long, thin tube called an endoscope through the mouth and stomach into the small intestine. Using instruments passed through the endoscope, the doctor then takes the sample.
Screening
Screening for celiac disease involves testing for the presence of antibodies in the blood in people without symptoms. Americans are not routinely screened for celiac disease. Testing for celiac-related antibodies in children less than 5 years old may not be reliable. However, since celiac disease is hereditary, family members, particularly first-degree relatives - meaning parents, siblings, or children of people who have been diagnosed - may wish to be tested for the disease. About 5 to 15 percent of an affected person's first-degree relatives will also have the disease. About 3 to 8 percent of people with type 1 diabetes will have biopsy-confirmed celiac disease, and 5 to 10 percent of people with Down syndrome will be diagnosed with celiac disease.
Definitions For This Page - In Alphabetical Order
* Small Intestine
The small intestine is the organ where most digestion occurs. It measures about 22 feet and includes the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine, right after your stomach, jejunum is the middle section of the small intestine between the duodenum and ileum, and the ileum is the lower end of the small intestine. More about Small Intestine.
Back To Top
References:
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC)
NIH Publication No. 07-4269
August 2007
digestive.niddk.nih.gov
|