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If you would like to learn more about celiac disease genetic testing, or read about my personal experience with Kimball Genetics, be sure to read the following two related articles: Your DNA Results Indicate: Super Celiac! By Scott Adams Understanding the Genetics of Gluten Sensitivity by Dr. Scot Lewey Celiac.com 11/29/2006 - Kimball Genetics, Inc. announces its participation this week at the XII International Celiac Disease Symposium in New York City and its support of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University. Kimball Genetics has a strong commitment to celiac disease education and genetic testing for this common, chronic, autoimmune disorder. Celiac disease affects approximately 1% of the U.S. population but is highly underdiagnosed, with less than 10% of cases currently detected. In genetically susceptible individuals with the specific markers HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8, ingestion of gluten-containing grains causes inflammation of the small intestine and leads to malabsorption. Symptoms may be gastrointestinal and/or a wide range of other multi-systemic manifestations such as iron-deficiency anemia, chronic fatigue, osteoporosis, dermatitis herpetiformis, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Early diagnosis and lifelong treatment with a gluten-free diet is critical to relieve inflammation and symptoms and to reduce the risk for development of secondary autoimmune disorders such as type 1 diabetes. Silent celiac disease, involving inflammation without symptoms, is also important to detect and treat. Kimball Genetics offers the Celiac Disease DNA Test, a genetic test with increasingly recognized importance in the diagnostic work-up of celiac disease. The test is valuable because it excludes the diagnosis of celiac disease in patients with a negative result, detects family members at risk for the disorder, and is accurate even when the patient is on a gluten-free diet. Both antibody testing and small bowel biopsy require going off a gluten-free diet to gain reliable results if the patient initiated the diet before diagnosis. Kimball Genetics is the only laboratory presently offering celiac disease DNA testing on cheek cell specimens with results available in one day. Dr. Peter Green of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University says "Cheek cell testing at Kimball Genetics is convenient and tremendously popular with my patients since it eliminates the need for blood draw. The one-day turnaround time and expert genetic counseling provided with Kimballs service are much appreciated." The Celiac Disease Foundation also recommends Kimball Genetics Celiac Disease DNA test due to these unique features of its service. In concurrence with the National Institute of Healths "Celiac Disease Campaign for Health Care Providers and Public," Kimball Genetics, Inc. conducts ongoing educational efforts including presentations to gastroenterologists, family practitioners, nautropaths, chiropractors, and nutritionists, and assists national celiac support groups. Dr. Annette Taylor and genetic counselors from Kimball have written an in depth review about celiac disease, co-authored by Dr. Peter Green, soon to be published in GeneReviews online. In addition, Kimball Genetics is collaborating with Drs. Xavier Castellanos and Dominick Auciello from New York University Child Study Center and Dr. Peter Green from Columbia University on an exciting new research study to determine the incidence of celiac disease in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or learning disabilities. About Kimball Genetics, Inc. Founded in 1994 by Annette K. Taylor, M.S., Ph.D., Kimball Genetics is a national DNA diagnostic laboratory specializing in testing for common genetic disorders that are preventable or can be treated. Known for its unparalleled turnaround time and distinctive focus on genetic counseling and education, the company has a major focus on celiac disease and is at the forefront of education and testing for this disorder. Other major areas of testing currently include inherited hypercoagulability, hemochromatosis, cystic fibrosis, and fragile X syndrome. Soon Kimball will be expanding into pharmocogenomic testing which allows for the personal customization of drug therapy.

Celiac.com 07/31/2006 - The National Institutes of Health (NIH) today announced the launch of a campaign to heighten awareness of celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food. The campaign stems from consensus recommendations of an independent panel of experts convened by the NIH to assess current diagnosis, treatment, and management of the disease. “We now know that celiac disease is more prevalent that previously thought — affecting nearly 1 percent of the U.S. population — and remains under-diagnosed,” said Griffin P. Rodgers, M.D., acting director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the NIH institute leading the effort. “Through the campaign, we hope to increase physician awareness of the disease, resulting in earlier diagnosis and better outcomes for celiac patients.” Developed by the NIDDK, with coordination among the professional and voluntary organizations working on celiac disease, the campaign offers materials and resources for health professionals and the public about the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and management of celiac disease. The campaign offers fact sheets, booklets, practice tools for health professionals, NIH research information, and resources from professional and voluntary organizations that focus on celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune response to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Symptoms of celiac disease range from gas, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, to delayed growth, certain skin rashes, infertility, and osteoporosis. Treatment for celiac disease is adherence to a gluten-free diet. “One of the challenges with celiac disease is the vast array of symptoms associated with the disease,” said Stephen P. James, M.D., director of the Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition (DDN) at the NIDDK. “We are hoping to educate health professionals and the public that celiac disease is not only a gastrointestinal disease.” The NIDDK, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), conducts and supports research on diabetes; endocrine and metabolic diseases; digestive diseases, nutrition, and obesity; and kidney, urologic and hematologic diseases. Spanning the full spectrum of medicine and afflicting people of all ages and ethnic groups, these diseases encompass some of the most common, severe, and disabling conditions affecting Americans. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nations Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. CONTACT: Melissa McGowan 301-496-3583

By Kelly Rohlfs Celiac.com 09/29/2004 - The Childrens Digestive Health and Nutrition Foundation (CDHNF) with the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) announced the launch of a new educational campaign on Celiac Disease, one of the most common genetic digestive conditions possibly affecting as many as three million Americans (up to 1 percent). Since it has been proven that early detection and intervention can prevent long-term consequences, CDHNF and NASPGHAN are focusing on accurate and timely diagnosis and treatment in children. We plan to raise greater awareness about celiac disease and urge physicians to add it to their screening checklist, said Alessio Fasano M.D., chair of the CDHNF Celiac Disease Campaign, NIH Consensus speaker and director of the Mucosal Biology Research Center for the University of Maryland School of Medicine Center for Celiac Research. We now have the information we need on how to diagnose and treat this disease and we need to start applying that knowledge into practice. To help spread the word, the campaign will include physician materials such as a celiac disease physician CME slide set, a nationwide Grand Rounds program, and a soon-to-be released NASPGHAN Clinical Practice Guideline on the Evaluation and Management of Celiac Disease in Children, in the fall of 2004. In addition, a new web site http://www.celiachealth.org will provide resources for the medical professional community and the general public. They have put together a comprehensive slide set (Acrobat and PowerPoint) available on their website http://www.celiacfacts.org. Although somewhat specific for pediatricians and pediatric gastroenterologists, the material is applicable to all stages and ages of celiac disease. Topics include: Definition, Associated Conditions, Clinical Manifestations and Complications, Diagnosis, Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment.