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Review
. 2009 Feb;55(2):151-3.

Home blood testing for celiac disease: recommendations for management

Mohsin Rashid  1 , J Decker Butzner, Ralph Warren, Mavis Molloy, Shelley Case, Marion Zarkadas, Vernon Burrows, Connie Switzer
Affiliations
Review

Home blood testing for celiac disease: recommendations for management

Mohsin Rashid et al. Can Fam Physician. 2009 Feb.

Erratum in

  • Can Fam Physician. 2009 Apr;55(4):352

Abstract
in English, French

Objective: To provide recommendations for the management of patients who inquire about the Health Canada-approved, self-administered home blood tests for celiac disease or who present with positive test results after using the self-testing kit

Sources of information: PubMed and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched from January 1985 to April 2008, using the subject headings diagnosis of celiac disease and management or treatment of celiac disease. Guidelines for serologic testing and confirmation of diagnosis of celiac disease by the American Gastroenterological Association and the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition are used in this review. Level 1 evidence was used.

Main message: Although blood tests are helpful for screening purposes, the confirmatory test for celiac disease is a small intestinal biopsy.

Conclusion: Patients whose blood tests for celiac disease provide positive results should have endoscopic small intestinal biopsies to confirm the diagnosis before starting a gluten-free diet.

OBJECTIF: Faire des recommandations concernant le traitement des patients qui s’informent sur l’autotest sanguin approuvé par Santé Canada pour la maladie cœliaque ou qui se présentent avec un résultat positif à ce test.

SOURCES DE L’INFORMATION: Une recherche intensive a été faite dans PubMed et dans Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, entre janvier 1985 et avril 2008, à l’aide des rubriques diagnosis of celiac disease et management et treatment of celiac disease. Dans cette revue, on a utilisé les directives de l‘American Gastroenterological Association et de la North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition pour le dépistage sérologique et la confirmation du diagnostic de la maladie cœliaque. Les preuves de niveau I ont été retenues.

PRINCIPAL MESSAGE: Quoique le test sanguin soit utile pour le dépistage de la maladie cœliaque, l’examen qui confirme le diagnostic est une petite biopsie du grêle.

CONCLUSION: Les patients qui obtiennent un résultat positif au test sanguin pour la maladie cœliaque devraient subir une biopsie endoscopique du grêle pour confirmer le diagnostic avant de commencer un régime sans gluten.

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Comment in

  • Wrong question.
    Sehgal Y. Sehgal Y. Can Fam Physician. 2009 May;55(5):471; author reply 471-2. Can Fam Physician. 2009. PMID: 19439695 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
  • Data needed.
    Hoggan R. Hoggan R. Can Fam Physician. 2009 May;55(5):472-3; author reply 473. Can Fam Physician. 2009. PMID: 19439696 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

References

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