Diagnosis of Celiac Disease
To get correct treatment of any disease you need to do proper diagnosis. For confirmation of celiac disease three steps are used.
- In the first step, blood test is taken
- Direct observation of the tissue by biopsy
- Giving gluten free diet
As we know, in celiac disease, patient can not absorb the gluten in the small intestine. Therefore before going for the test you should eat diet containing gluten, otherwise your test will be negative following are tests for diagnosing celiac disease.
Asking information
- This is first step of diagnosis in which doctor try to get information from the patient by asking different questions.
- From the given information doctor try to understand reasons, symptoms and confirms it by taking other additional confirmatory tests.
- Blood test is the most accurate test to diagnose most of the diseases. In celiac disease autoantibodies present in our body attacks on our own tissue.
- Actually the main function of the antibodies is to identify and kill foreign substance; it could be virus or bacteria. But in this disease antibody causes damage to own tissue called autoantibodies.
- In blood test autoantibodies are identified i.e. immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgA anti-endomycin antibodies and anti-tissue transglutaminase.
- If above autoantibodies are present in blood it confirms patient positive for the celiac disease. If autoantibodies are absent, then it shows person doesn’t have celiac disease and whatever problem patient is facing may be because of some other reason.
Biopsy
- Biopsy of the small intestine is done even if the blood test of the patient is positive. Before biopsy endosopy is done.
- In endoscope small camera is inserted from the natural openings or from artificial made opening. By camera we can visualize the order, changes and damage to the tissue on the screen. With the help of camera we can take photographs of the tissue.
- Small instrument is inserted through endoscope to take out tissue sample without disturbing its structure and arrangement.
- Under microscope pathologist can analyze the damage and how far disease is spread in the intestine.
- In celiac disease, tissue from small intestine shows swelling because of the autoimmune response. The villi shrink and become flat.
Genetic Marker
- Celiac disease is hereditary i.e. it can transfer to next generation through genes. Genetic marker is nothing but gene or small DNA sequence.
- There are some genes which are responsible for the formation of autoantibodies.
- To confirm presence or absence of the disease this test can be done in which presence of gene marker can be found out. If that particular sequence is present it confirms the disease.
Stool examination
- Celiac affected patient shows malabsorption i.e. there intestine fails to absorb the nutrients or digested food.
- Unabsorbed food directly passed out through stool. In patients stool presence of fats can be confirmed by using Sudan staining. After each 72 hours test can be taken.
Gluten free diet
- In celiac patient problem is caused due to the gluten.
- If doctor advice to the patient to eat only gluten free diet then most of the damaged can be recovered after some days and person feels good. This confirms that he/she have problem of the gluten i.e. patient is affected by celiac disease.
