Web: | mayocliniclabs.com |
---|---|
Email: | mcl@mayo.edu |
Telephone: | 800-533-1710 |
International: | +1 855-379-3115 |
Values are valid only on day of printing. |
Diagnosis of dermatitis herpetiformis and celiac disease
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.
If EMA / Endomysial Antibodies (IgA), Serum is positive or indeterminate, EMAT / Endomysial (IgA), Titer, Serum will be performed at an additional charge.
The following algorithms are available in Special Instructions:
-Celiac Disease Comprehensive Cascade
-Celiac Disease Diagnostic Testing Algorithm
-Celiac Disease Gluten-Free Cascade
Circulating IgA endomysial antibodies are present in 70% to 80% of patients with dermatitis herpetiformis or celiac disease, and in nearly all such patients who have high grade gluten-sensitive enteropathy and are not adhering to a gluten-free diet.
Negative in normal individuals; also negative in dermatitis herpetiformis or celiac disease patients adhering to gluten-free diet.
The finding of IgA-endomysial antibodies (EMA) is highly specific for dermatitis herpetiformis or celiac disease.
The titer of IgA-EMA generally correlates with the severity of gluten-sensitive enteropathy.
If patients strictly adhere to a gluten-free diet, the titer of IgA-EMA should begin to decrease within 6 to 12 months of onset of dietary therapy.
Occasionally, the staining results cannot be reliably interpreted as positive or negative because of strong smooth muscle staining, weak EMA staining or other factors; in this case, the results will be recorded as "indeterminate." In this setting, further testing with measurement of TTGA / Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) Antibody, IgA, Serum and IGA / Immunoglobulin A (IgA), Serum levels are recommended.
A negative result (absence of circulating IgA-endomysial antibodies) does not exclude the diagnosis of dermatitis herpetiformis or celiac disease.
Patients with mild gluten-sensitive enteropathy may have a negative result.
1. Peters MS, McEvoy MT: IgA antiendomysial antibodies in dermatitis herpetiformis. J Am Acad Dermatol 1989;21:1225-1231
2. Chorzelski TP, Buetner EH, Sulej J, et al: IgA anti-endomysium antibody: a new immunological marker of dermatitis herpetiformis and coeliac disease. Br J Dermatol 1984;111:395-402
3. Kapuscinska A, Zalewski T, Chorzelski TP, et al: Disease specificity and dynamics of changes in IgA class anti-endomysial antibodies in celiac disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr1984;6:529-534