Diagnosis and Management of Celiac Disease

Publication Date: January 5, 2023
Last Updated: January 17, 2023

Summary of Recommendations

1A. We recommend EGD with multiple duodenal biopsies for confirmation of diagnosis in both children and adults with suspicion of CD (strong recommendation, moderate quality of evidence; dissent).

1B. We suggest a combination of high-level TTG IgA (>10× upper limit of normal) with a positive endomysial antibody (EMA) in a second blood sample as reliable tests for diagnosis of CD in children. In symptomatic adults unwilling or unable to undergo upper GI endoscopy, the same criteria may be considered after the fact, as a diagnosis of likely CD (conditional recommendation, moderate quality of evidence; dissent).
1. Multiple biopsies of the duodenum (1 or 2 from bulb and 4 from distal duodenum) are necessary for diagnosis of CD.
2. EGD and duodenal biopsies can also be useful for the differential diagnosis of other malabsorptive disorders or enteropathies.
3. Lymphocytic duodenosis (≥25 intraepithelial lymphocytes per 100 epithelial cells) in the absence of villous atrophy is not specific for CD, and other causes should be considered.

Overview

Title

Diagnosis and Management of Celiac Disease

Authoring Organization

American College of Gastroenterology