How important is it for a confirmed celiac to have repeat biopsies or serology when on a gluten free diet?**
http://www.celiac.com/articles/17/1/How-important-is-it-for-a-confirmed-celiac-to-have-repeat-biopsies-or-serology-when-on-a-gluten-free-diet/Page1.html
Scott Adams
In 1994 I was diagnosed with celiac disease, which led me to create Celiac.com in 1995. I created this site for a single purpose: To help as many people as possible with celiac disease get diagnosed so they can begin to live happy, healthy gluten-free lives. Celiac.com was the first site on the Internet dedicated solely to celiac disease, and since then it has become an invaluable resource to people worldwide who seek information about celiac disease and the gluten-free diet. In 1998 I created The Gluten-Free Mall, Your Special Diet Superstore! which was also another Internet first—it was the first gluten-free food site to offer a shopping cart-style interface, and the ability for people to order gluten-free products manufactured by many different companies at a single Web site.
I am also co-author of the book Cereal Killers, and founder and publisher of Journal of Gluten Sensitivity.
By Scott Adams
Published on 07/26/1996
Vijay Kumar, M.D., Research Associate Professor
at the University of Buffalo and President and Dir
How important is it for a confirmed celiac to have repeat biopsies or serology when on a gluten free diet?**
Vijay Kumar, M.D., Research Associate Professor
at the University of Buffalo and President and Director of IMMCO
Diagnostics: It is important for the serum tests to be negative
in patients with CD. These tests provide strong indicators that
the gluten free diet followed is effective and is free of gluten.
Sometimes drugs or other intakes may be contaminated with gluten
that may continue sensitization and the disease process which
may be subclinically. We and others believe once the diagnosis
of celiac disease is confirmed and the patient is on a gluten free diet, repeat
tests once in 3-6 months may be sufficient.
Karoly Horvath, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics; Director, Peds GI & Nutrition Laboratory; University of Maryland at Baltimore: If a patient has histologically (endoscopy) and serologically (antibody tests) proved celiac disease, and his/her symptoms disappeared on a gluten-free diet, a repeat biopsy is not necessary. The serological tests are useful tools for estimating the effectiveness of the diet after 3-6 months on a gluten-free diet. The disappearance of antibodies from the blood takes months, if there was not any accidental gluten challenge (dietary mistake).