Maybe you're one of the
millions of Americans who suffers mild or even severe
gastrointestinal distress. Perhaps someone in your
family has been diagnosed with celiac disease and you have
been told you should be tested too. Or maybe you've
heard how common celiac disease is, and that it can occur in
people with minimal symptoms. Also, people who go
undiagnosed can develop a variety of related symptoms.
How do you get tested for
celiac disease, and how do you know for sure that your are
getting quality testing? Do you need to be tested even
if you don't have symptoms of celiac disease? The
answers to these important questions may change your life,
since they could be the keys to your health and well-being.
What is celiac
disease?
Celiac disease is a common
genetic intolerance to gluten. Gluten is found in
wheat, rye, barley, and other grain products. People
with celiac disease must strictly avoid these foods for the
rest of their lives. Fortunately, the gluten-free diet
is extremely healthy, and there are many excellent sources
of gluten-free products.
Celiac disease is common, yet
many people haven't even heard of it, and most who have it
don't know it. Studies show that celiac disease may
occur in 1 in 133 "healthy" people. It may be as
common as 1 in 40 people who have symptoms. Celiac
disease may be the most common genetic disorder in the U.S.
and the world. Classic symptoms are gastrointestinal
in nature such as gas bloating, diarrhea, or constipation.
Yet many people don't have these classic symptoms; instead
the have what is referred to as "atypical symptoms", which
include fatigue (due to unexplained anemia), infertility,
osteoporosis, joint pain, reflux, headaches, and the
presence of other autoimmune condition. Some people
have no symptoms at all.
Who should be
tested for celiac disease?
Anyone who has classic
symptoms of gastrointestinal distress
Family members of
people diagnosed with celiac disease
People who have been
tested before and whose results were inconclusive
Individuals that may
carry a higher risk of celiac disease: Type 1
Diabetes, osteoporosis, anemia, Down Syndrome,
Cystic Fibrosis, and autoimmune disease
How is celiac
disease diagnosed?
Celiac disease is an
autoimmune condition, which means that the body initiates an
attack against itself in response to a "trigger." In
the case of celiac disease, the trigger is gluten, and the
part of the body under attack is the small intestine.
When this attack is launched,
the immune system produces antibodies. These
antibodies are called "anti-gliadin, " and "anti-endomysial"
and, "anti-tissue transglutaminase".
There are two steps to
diagnosing celiac disease. The first is a blood test
that measures the antibodies mentioned above. If
antibody levels are high, it is very likely that celiac
disease is present, and the diagnosis is confirmed by doing
an intestinal biopsy to see if damage has been done to the
small intestine and to rule out the possibility of other
conditions.
How do I get
tested?
In order to be tested for
celiac disease, you must be on a gluten-containing diet,
preferably for at lease 3-6 months. If there is a
little or no gluten in your diet, your anti-body levels will
be low, even if you do have celiac disease. A false
negative could occur.
Your primary care physician
can order the blood tests, as can a nurse practitioner or
physician's assistant. But generally, if you have
gastrointestinal symptoms, you will be referred to a
gastroenterologist who will order the tests.
While blood for the antibody
testing can be drawn at any lab, the facility where the
testing is done is extremely important. You should
make sure test includes a complete celiac antibody screen,
which includes:
Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgA
Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgG
Anti-Endomysial (EMA)
IgA
Anti-Tissue
Tranglutaminase (tTG)
Total Serum IgA
You have the right to ask
that your blood sample be sent to a specialty lab for
testing. You should check with your insurance company
for information regarding coverage of the tests.
What if the
results of my antibody screening are positive?
If the results of your
antibody screening are positive, you may need an intestinal
biopsy to determine the extent of damage, if any, to
your small intestine.
If you are diagnosed with
celiac disease, the recommended treatment is to adopt a
gluten-free lifestyle. Besides being found in some
grains, gluten can also be hidden in ingredients such as
modified food starch, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and
other additives. It is important to maintain a
gluten-free diet, because small amounts of gluten can have
harmful effects. Newly diagnosed individuals with
celiac disease who go a gluten-free diet can expect to see
improvement in their health each day.
The diagnosis of celiac
disease may seem difficult at first and to be truthful, it
is. But the sooner your are diagnosed, the sooner you
can take steps to manage your disease. In the United
States, the average length of time between the onset of
symptoms and diagnosis of celiac disease is ten years.
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Austin, TX 78758 | 512.901.1111
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