What Is The Best Test To Dermine Celiac Disease?

[chucksusanandgrace]

I thought I remember reading somewhere that there is a test on your gene that can determine if you have celiac disease. I am thinking I want to go back to gluten-free, but I don't want to mess up any future testing.

For some reason I am thinking that a particular gene test is effective even if you have been doing a gluten-free diet.

Thank you again.

Susan

[SaraKat]

I had a blood test and an endoscopy. I didn't have the genetic blood test- it was an antibody one. I heard the TTG IGA is a good one for starters or ask for the celiac panel.

I think the genetic test would show if you have the gene for it, but you still may not have actual celiac disease.

I am new so I could be off.

[ravenwoodglass]

Enterolab can do testing for the antibodies but they don't diagnose celiac. However your body doesn't make antibodies to something it wants inside it. The best test in my opinion is the diet after all blood work and biopsies are done. Gene testing while interesting can not tell you for sure if you do or don't have celaic. For one thing most companies only test for 2 of the 9 associated genes and recent research is showing up to 27 more that are associated with celiac.

[mushroom]

The gene test, unfortunately, is like the breast cancer gene test. It can tell you if you have a predisposition to the disease, but not if you will get it. For example, I have the BRCA1 gene in my family (presume my mother had it though she was never tested - her sister had breast cancer too). My sister with the gene developed breast cancer- she may well have not, it just happened that she did. My sister without the gene developed breast cancer, it was just one of those spontaneous things apparently. I have not been tested (why bother?) and so far have not developed it. So having the gene does not mean you will get it.

So far the strongest tests for celiac seem to be the tTG, and endomysial antibodies (EMA) and the new deaminaded gluten peptide (DGP) tests. But even if all these tests are negative, (and they perform the total serum IGA to prove that you do produce antibodies - a lot of doctors don't) you may still have a gluten intolerance that is not measurable by any test, and if you quit eating gluten your symptoms may disappear. Many doctors will tell you that if you test negative you can eat gluten with impunity, but their tests are not that good. There are many gluten intolerances that their tests don't measure, and the only true test is to stop eating gluten and see if your symptoms improve. That is to say, do undertake the testing to see if you can get a diagnosis, but if you can't, try the diet and see if it helps - that is the ultimate test regardless of what the medical profession says. (I am undiagnosed )