title: Home blood testing for celiac disease: recommendations for management.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide recommendations for the management of patients who inquire about the Health Canada-approved, self-administered home blood tests for celiac disease or who present with positive test results after using the self-testing kit
  
  
  METHODS
  PubMed and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched from January 1985 to April 2008, using the subject headings diagnosis of celiac disease and management or treatment of celiac disease. Guidelines for serologic testing and confirmation of diagnosis of celiac disease by the American Gastroenterological Association and the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition are used in this review. Level 1 evidence was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although blood tests are helpful for screening purposes, the confirmatory test for celiac disease is a small intestinal biopsy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients whose blood tests for celiac disease provide positive results should have endoscopic small intestinal biopsies to confirm the diagnosis before starting a gluten-free diet.
authors.affiliation: Dalhousie University, Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre, 5850 University Ave, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8. mohsin.rashid@iwk.nshealth.ca
authors.forename: Mohsin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rashid
authors.forename: J Decker
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Butzner
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: Mavis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Molloy
authors.forename: Shelley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Case
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zarkadas
authors.forename: Vernon
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Burrows
authors.forename: Connie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Switzer
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D002170:Canada; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000178:diet therapy; D002648:Child; D055050:Diet, Gluten-Free; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D005983:Glutens / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012648:Self Care; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D005983:Glutens