Get Tested For
Coeliac Disease

Coeliac disease is a common autoimmune condition, triggered by eating gluten. It can cause different symptoms, including diarrhoea, tummy pain, bloating, weight loss, and fatigue, but some people have no symptoms at all.1

If left undiagnosed and untreated, coeliac disease may result in serious long-term health problems.1

How do I get tested for coeliac disease?

 

If you think that you have coeliac disease or have any risk-factors for the condition (e.g., affected family members2), ask your healthcare provider to test you for coeliac disease.

 

For diagnostic purposes it is important to stick to your normal food intake, including gluten. If you start a gluten-free diet before being tested, the test result may not be accurate and could result in a misdiagnosis.3,4 

Getting tested: three simple steps

  1. A small sample of blood is drawn by your healthcare provider or laboratory setting.
  2. The blood is tested in a laboratory.
  3. The test results are returned to your healthcare provider when analysis is completed.

How does the test work?


Your immune system is always producing special proteins, called ‘antibodies’, to defend you against harmful substances, for example viruses. If you have coeliac disease, eating gluten causes your immune system to produce antibodies that attack your own body, especially your gut.1

A blood test can detect whether you have any of these harmful antibodies in your blood. This will help your healthcare provider work out whether you have coeliac disease. The recommended test for coeliac disease is the tissue transglutaminase immunoglobulin A (tTG IgA) blood test.3-5

 

What do the test results mean?

 

 

1. A positive result 

If your test result is positive, it’s very likely that you have coeliac disease. Your healthcare provider may decide to arrange further tests and will refer you to a specialist.

 

 

2. A negative result

If your test result is negative, you’re unlikely to have coeliac disease. However, it’s possible to receive a negative result and still have coeliac disease. This could be because:

  • You may not have been eating enough gluten when you had your test, causing an inaccurate result.3-5
  • Your body may not make the usual antibodies looked for in coeliac disease.3-5

Your healthcare provider will decide whether you need any other tests, to get to the bottom of the cause. Even if coeliac disease is ruled out at this time, you should remember that it can develop at any age.1 Never be afraid to ask for another test at a later date, if you’re concerned.

Based on the information you’ve seen, are you more likely to visit your healthcare provider to discuss the possibility of coeliac disease?  

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1. Gujral N, Freeman H J, Thomson A B. Celiac disease: prevalence, diagnosis, pathogenesis and treatment. World J Gastroenterol 2012;18(42):6036-6059

2. Singh P, Arora S et al. Risk of celiac disease in the first- and second-degree relatives of patients with celiac disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Gastroenterol 2015;110(11):1539-1548

3. Al-Toma A, Volta U et al. European Society for the Study of Coeliac Disease (ESsCD) guideline for coeliac disease and other gluten-related disorders. United European Gastroenterol J 2019;7(5):583-613

4. Husby S, Koletzko S et al. European Society Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Guidelines for diagnosing coeliac disease 2020. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2020;70(1):141-156

5. Rubio-Tapia A, Hill I D et al. ACG clinical guidelines: diagnosis and management of celiac disease. Am J Gastroenterol 2013;108(5):656-676;quiz 677

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