What are the symptoms of celiac disease?
Symptoms are varied and can easily be confused with other disorders such as wheat intolerance or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Typical symptoms can include:
Tiredness
Constipation
Nausea
Weight Loss
Bloating
Anaemia
Diarrhoea
Wind
Vomiting
Mouth Ulcers
What is gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Some people with celiac disease also react to oats.
How common is celiac disease?
Around 1 in 100 people have celiac disease. However, four out of five people don't know they have it and are at increased risk of developing osteoporosis, infertility and cancer.
Are children at risk of inheriting celiac disease?
If you have celiac disease there is an increased risk (1 in 10) that your children will also develop the disease.
How accurate is the Biocard Celiac Test?
In independent trials the Biocard Celiac Test was shown to be highly accurate (96%) when compared with intestinal biopsy and equally reliable to hospital laboratory blood tests. In rare circumstances, some people (2% of the population and 5% of coeliacs) may give a false negative result in laboratory tests as well as the Biocard test due to an IgA antibody deficiency. The test has been proven to be easy to use by lay persons and meets all necessary regulatory requirements including the IVD directive 98/79EC for home use.
What do doctors think of the Biocard Celiac Test?
There are many people who are living with coeliac disease but have not yet been diagnosed. Any way of improving the diagnostic process is a benefit to these individuals and to health care professionals. While a definite diagnosis of coeliac disease can still only be made following an intestinal biopsy, a simple finger prick blood test which indicates whether the individual is likely to carry the antibodies associated with coeliac disease is very helpful and can help speed up what is currently a timeconsuming diagnostic process. Anyone with a positive finger prick blood test should see their doctor, and it is very important that in the meantime they do not alter their diet, so as to enable a full diagnosis to be made.
