To confirm celiac disease, healthcare professionals typically use a combination of blood tests and genetic testing, as detailed below:
Diagnostic Steps for Celiac Disease
1. Serology Testing (Blood Tests)
- Purpose: Serology tests are the initial step in diagnosing celiac disease. These tests look for specific antibodies in your blood.
- Mechanism: If you have celiac disease, your immune system reacts to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. This reaction results in elevated levels of certain antibody proteins in your blood.
- Interpretation: Elevated levels of these antibodies indicate that your immune system is reacting to gluten, suggesting the possibility of celiac disease. These are not a diagnosis on their own and further testing is needed.
2. Genetic Testing
- Purpose: Genetic testing can be used to help rule out celiac disease.
- Mechanism: Celiac disease is strongly associated with specific human leukocyte antigens (HLA), particularly HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8.
- Interpretation: Having one of these genes is not enough on its own to diagnose celiac disease, as a percentage of the general population carries these genes without developing the disease. However, not having either of these genes would virtually rule out celiac disease.
Summary of Testing Methods
| Test Type | What It Measures | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Serology Testing | Antibody levels in your blood | Detect immune reaction to gluten |
| Genetic Testing | Presence of HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 | Help rule out celiac disease |
Important Considerations:
- These tests are not mutually exclusive and often both are performed for diagnosis.
- A positive result in serology testing is further investigated to confirm the diagnosis.
- It is important to follow your doctor's recommendations.
