New Test Algorithms for Celiac Disease
An Efficient and Cost-Effective Diagnostic Approach
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Updated: June 2013
The National Institute of Health (NIH) has reported that as many as 1% (3,000,000) of all Americans have celiac disease and hundreds of thousands of these patients are undiagnosed. In 2006, the NIH launched an aggressive campaign to heighten physician awareness of the disease. With new diagnostic guidelines and new tests available, this effort should significantly reduce the time to diagnosis, which currently averages 10 years from the onset of symptoms.
New Standards and New Tests
Laboratory algorithms using a reflex approach provide an alternative to ordering individual tests when evaluating a patient with suspected celiac disease. The goal of algorithms is to provide the most appropriate selection of tests for each patient, while maintaining the highest possible sensitivity and specificity.
To help you order the right test at the right time and reduce unnecessary testing, Mayo Medical Laboratories has developed 3 new celiac test algorithms:
Celiac Disease Comprehensive Cascade
- Includes both serologic and genetic testing (HLA DQ typing)
- Most complete assessment that can be ordered
- Can virtually rule-out celiac disease in most patients
- Includes individual test results, clinical interpretation and recommendations on whether to proceed to biopsy or pursue another diagnosis
- Available when HLA DQ typing is not desired or has been performed previously
- Interpretive report includes recommendations on the need for confirmatory biopsy
- Developed to assist in evaluating patients who have already reduced gluten in their diet
- Includes HLA DQ typing as the initial test
- Developed to assist in patient care
- Assesses IgA or IgG antibodies to determine patient’s adherence to gluten-free diet
- Available for those who prefer to order tests individually
With the new testing options offered by Mayo Medical Laboratories, physicians can now utilize simple, algorithmic approaches to evaluate patients at risk for celiac disease and to monitor treatment, improving the lives of these patients.