Question:

What is the Anti-Gliadin test for? Is that for coeliac testing? If so, what if a test came back positive would this then confirm coeliac disease or would the patient have to go on to have a biopsy and be including gluten in his diet to really confirm?

Answer:

If only Anti-Gliadin comes back positive, it means that the patient has a strong allergy to gluten, but not automatically coeliac disease. The most important antibodies for coeliac disease are IgA and IgG to transglutaminase. You can also limit the testing to these two parameters for excluding coeliac disease. If either IgG or IgA or both are positive to transglutaminase, it means that the patient has a coeliac disease. In this case, it has to be confirmed by biopsy to enable reimbursement of special gluten free food by social security insurances. (That is at least the way it works in some European countries.) If they are negative, it means that at present time, there is no sign for coeliac disease and no further diagnostic is needed. If the patient avoids gluten in the future, that is it. If he continues to eat gluten he should be retested annually. If all tests including Anti-Gliadin are negative, it means that he has no sign whatsoever for coeliac disease.

(Answer is by Dr. Camille Lieners, Scientific Advisor ImuPro)