Endomysial IgA Antibody Screen with Reflex to Titre Test

Endomysial Antibodies IgA test is performed on a sample of blood to measure the level of Endomysial Antibodies IgA in the blood. It is performed to confirm Celiac Disease and Dermatitis Herpetiformis and also during the treatment and after the treatment of Celiac Disease and Dermatitis Herpetiformis. The specificity of this antibody typically means a very low occurrence of false positives for this test. However not all people with Celiac disease will develop Endomysial antibodies. For this reason, additional testing may be necessary even if a person receives a negative result for this test. Celiac testing is advisable for people who are experiencing symptoms associated with Celiac Disease or aware of family members who have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease.

Endomysial antibody IgA testing has no fasting requirements. Please note it is recommended that prior to taking the endomysial antibody blood test, a regular diet including items that contain gluten should be followed for 2 weeks as a gluten-free diet may not provide an accurate representation of potential gluten sensitivity. It is also important to note that a medical professional should be consulted before any diagnosis based on test results is made.

The test is used for diagnosis of dermatitis herpetiformis and celiac disease. It is used for monitoring adherence to gluten-free diet in patients with dermatitis herpetiformis and celiac disease. Because of the high specificity of endomysial antibodies for celiac disease, the test may obviate the need for multiple small bowel biopsies to verify the diagnosis. This may be particularly advantageous in the pediatric population, including the evaluation of children with failure to thrive.

The test is done with a blood sample. A needle is used to draw blood from a vein in your arm or hand. Your doctor depending on your condition will give specific instructions before the test. Test results may vary depending on your age, gender, health history, the method used for the test, and other things. Your test results may not mean you have a problem. Ask your healthcare provider what your test results mean for you. Normal results are negative, meaning that no EMA antibodies were found in your blood. If your levels of IgA EMA and tTG antibodies are higher, it may mean that you have celiac disease. If you also have typical symptoms and respond to a gluten-free diet, you will likely be diagnosed with celiac disease.