What is Coeliac Disease?
Coeliac Disease is an auto-immune
disease, which means that the body produces antibodies
that attack its own tissues. For people with Coeliac
Disease this attack is triggered by gluten, a protein
found in wheat, rye and barley. Some people with Coeliac
Disease also react to oats.
In some individuals, the gluten proteins
damage the surface of the intestine.
How is Coeliac Disease diagnosed?
Coeliac Disease is traditionally
diagnosed by an intestinal biopsy by a
gastroenterologist, usually under mild sedation in an
outpatients department of a hospital or specialist
centre.
Most pathology laboratories offer blood
tests for the detection of gliadin antibodies or tissue
transglutaminase IgA antibodies.
The Biocard™
Celiac Test featured on this site uses the same
technology as the pathology laboratory test and detects
specific IgA antibodies that react with tissue
transglutaminase - a well known marker for Coeliac
Disease.
All that is required
is a small amount of blood from your finger tip. The
result is available in less than 10 minutes with a clear
yes or no.
What are Coeliac Disease symptoms?
Although it is believed 1 to 2 people in every 100
have Coeliac Disease, it often goes undiagnosed and
therefore untreated.
Experts say that it's easy for parents and even
doctors to blame the gastrointestinal problems
associated with coeliac disease (ie. stomach aches and
diarrhoea) on other common childhood complaints, such as
allergic reactions to food.
In children with Type 1 diabetes, some of the disease
hallmarks, such as weight loss and stunted growth, are
attributed to poor glycaemic control by parents and
physicians.
Many patients have 'silent coeliac disease' and are
not being diagnosed. The reason they are not being
diagnosed is that the disease is milder. If you have
diarrhoea, a large part of the small intestines is
involved.
People with 'silent coeliac disease' might develop
anaemia or osteoporosis because they are not absorbing
the vital nutrients, but they won't develop diarrhoea
because sugars and fats can still be absorbed further
down the intestine.
What is Gluten Intolerance?
Gluten Intolerance is a broad term which
includes all kinds of sensitivities to gluten. A small
proportion of Gluten Intolerant individuals will test
positive to Coeliac Disease, and so are called
Coeliacs. An estimated 1% of the population are
Coeliacs. Most Gluten Sensitive individuals return
negative results on Coeliac testing. The correct term
for these people is Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitive (NCGS)
and may be as many as 15% of the population or 1 in 7.
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