Signs and Symptoms of Celiac Disease
- There are no signs or symptoms typical for all people with celiac disease.
- Signs and symptoms and can vary greatly from person to person.
Some Signs and Symptoms may include:
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating
- Weight loss
- Anemia (low iron)
- Easy bruising
- Muscle weakness
How is it diagnosed?
Signs and tests
- Albumin (may be low)
- Alkaline phosphatase (high level may be a sign of bone loss)
- Clotting factor abnormalities
- Cholesterol (may be low)
- Complete blood count (CBC - test for anemia)
- Liver enzymes (transaminases)
- Prothrombin time
- Blood tests can detect several special antibodies, called antitissue transglutaminase antibodies (tTGA) or anti-endomysium antibodies (EMA). The health care provider will order these antibody tests if celiac disease is suspected.
- If the tests are positive, upper endoscopy is usually performed to sample a piece of tissue (biopsy) from the first part of the small intestine (duodenum). The biopsy may show a flattening of the villi in the parts of the intestine below the duodenum.
- Genetic testing of the blood is also available to help determine who may be at risk for celiac disease.
- A follow-up biopsy or blood test may be ordered several months after the diagnosis and treatment. These tests evaluate your response to treatment. Normal results mean that you have responded to treatment, which confirms the diagnosis. However, this does not mean that the disease has been cured