Gluten challenge prior to EGD...to Jodah

[Guest guest]

Hi Jodah,

Biopsies done on the small intestine to diagnose celiac disease look for damage to the intestinal lining and surface. This damage is an auto-immune reaction to a faction of the protein found primarily in wheat, rye and barley---commonly known as "gluten"....also in foods contaminated with these grains.

If someone has never consumed gluten and doesn't have a genetic predisposition to celiac disease there will be no damage and therefore no positive biopsy for celiac disease.

Most doctors want patients suspected of having celiac disease to consume a set amount of gluten prior to having a biopsy performed during an EGD to be sure to elicit this response if the patient is a celiac. This is how the diagnosis is made.

My posting explained my situation when asked to repeat the biopsy after having been previously diagnosed and then gluten free for 7+ years. The celiac researcher has shown that adults with long-standing damage from consuming a gluten-containing diet, probably from childhood, will have permanent damage that can be seen upon biopsy even if they have been recently gluten free. For these people, he believes it is not necessary to return to eating gluten containing foods prior to biopsy.

This was my experience.

It is believed that young children being biopsied after a gluten free diet and no gluten challenge will have healed and the biopsy will be negative even though they may have celiac disease.

I hope I have explained this in a way that it makes sense.

Gen