Diagnostics | Gluten allergy

Diagnostics

If a gluten allergy is suspected, various diagnostic options can be used to confirm the diagnosis. These include first of all the medical history, i.e. the doctor-patient consultation, and a physical examination to obtain information about changes in eating and stool habits. The most important test is the blood test.

A blood sample must be taken and examined in the laboratory. The blood is examined for the presence of certain antibodies. With gluten allergy, the body forms antibodies against certain endogenous structures over time.These include tissue transglutaminase, a substance that plays a role in the processing of proteins, endomysium, i.e. connective tissue in the digestive tract, and gluten itself.

However, it is not possible to quickly detect these antibodies in all patients with a gluten allergy. Sometimes different types of these antibodies must be searched for. In order to obtain a reliable diagnosis of a good allergy, a biopsy of the small intestine should be performed in doubtful cases. For this purpose, a duodenoscopy, i.e. a small bowel endoscopy, must be performed, in which samples of the damaged mucosa are taken and then examined.

Can a gluten allergy lead to infertility?

In recent years there have been more and more cases of infertility in connection with which a gluten allergy has been diagnosed in the mother. The causes of this have not yet been sufficiently researched, but it is assumed that the changes in the immune system caused by the gluten allergy result in the formation of antibodies directed against structures of the placenta. Therefore, a doctor should always be consulted if a gluten allergy is present or suspected and if there is a desire for children.