Celiac Disease Screening: Don't Get Tested For Gluten Reaction Unless You Have Symptoms, Panel Says
If you don’t have any symptoms of celiac disease, there’s not enough evidence that screening is necessary, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) concludes.
Celiac disease is an inherited digestive disorder that affects the small intestine. Treatment involves following a gluten-free diet, which means avoiding food and drinks containing wheat, barley, and rye.
Read: Celiac Disease Causes Update: Gut Bacteria May Determine If You Get The Disease
The disease affects about 1 percent of Americans. Despite a majority of that 1 percent going undiagnosed, the USPSTF says there’s not enough evidence to determine the benefits or harms of screening in people without symptoms, according to a recommendation published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA).
Signs and symptoms of the disease vary in children and adults. Common signs for adults include diarrhea, fatigue, abdominal pain, and vomiting. But, more than half of adults with the disease experience symptoms not related to the digestive system, according to Mayo Clinic. Some of the unrelated symptoms include anemia, mouth ulcers, joint pain, and heartburn.
Diagnosis of the disease usually involves two blood tests. One test looks for elevated levels of certain antibodies in your blood that show an immune reaction to gluten. The other blood test looks at genetics to rule out the disease. If these tests indicate you possibly have the disease, an endoscopy may be done to look at the small intestine.
The task force notes there is a need for more research to better determine who should get screened, and when and how this should happen.
“The increasing adoption of a gluten-free diet by a significant portion of the population may be filling the vacuum left by the uncertainty of the current screening and diagnostic approaches,” conclude authors Rok Choung and Joseph Murray, in an editorial accompanying the task force announcement, published in JAMA.
For those who are concerned they may have the disease, you should talk to your doctor to discuss the best option for you.
See also: Gluten Sensitivity That Isn't Celiac: Rigorous Study Finds Evidence For Sensitivity Without Disease
Gluten-Free Diet Does Not Make You Healthier: Only People With Celiac Disease Should Go Gluten-Free