Coeliac Disease Panel

Are you troubled by bloating, diarrhoea or abdominal pain, perhaps with anaemia of unclear cause? The Coeliac Disease Panel combines blood tests for coeliac disease and a stool test for intestinal inflammation. It helps establish whether coeliac disease is likely and whether another cause of your symptoms should be investigated.

Who the panel is for

• you have persistent diarrhoea, bloating, abdominal pain or symptoms resembling irritable bowel syndrome;
• you have anaemia due to iron, vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency without a clear cause;
• you are losing weight without explanation or are constantly tired, or a child’s growth has slowed;
• you have frequent mouth ulcers, an itchy blistering rash or osteoporosis at a younger age;
• you have type 1 diabetes or autoimmune thyroid disease;
• your parent, sibling or child has coeliac disease.

What the panel detects

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition in which gluten from wheat, rye and barley damages the small intestinal lining and reduces nutrient absorption. The panel has four parts:

• Transglutaminase IgA (anti-tTG IgA): the primary test for coeliac disease. Antibodies form while you eat gluten (more about transglutaminase IgA).
• Total IgA: checks whether you have enough immunoglobulin A. With deficiency, an IgA test would be falsely negative.
• Transglutaminase IgG (anti-tTG IgG): an alternative test when total IgA is low.
• Faecal calprotectin: not a coeliac disease test, but shows whether intestinal inflammation is present. It helps a doctor assess whether other causes, such as inflammatory bowel disease, should be investigated (more about calprotectin).

What testing involves and preparation

Venous blood and a small stool sample are needed. Blood sampling takes only a few minutes and fasting is not required.

Most importantly: do not eliminate gluten before testing. Eat gluten-containing food in more than one meal daily for at least six weeks before sampling, because testing on a gluten-free diet may be falsely negative. If you already eliminated gluten, discuss next steps with your doctor.

Calprotectin requires a small stool sample in a clean container. Bring it in as soon as possible. Anti-inflammatory painkillers may raise calprotectin. Consult your doctor about your medicines; do not stop treatment yourself.

What your results mean

• Negative transglutaminase with normal total IgA: coeliac disease is unlikely if you regularly ate gluten.
• Positive transglutaminase IgA, or IgG with low total IgA: suggests coeliac disease but is not a final diagnosis. A gastroenterologist confirms it, in adults generally through gastroscopy with samples of the lining. Continue eating gluten until investigations are complete.
• Low total IgA: the IgA test is then unreliable, so a doctor considers transglutaminase IgG.
• Only transglutaminase IgG positive with normal total IgA: requires cautious interpretation and does not confirm coeliac disease alone. A doctor decides on further investigation.
• Positive calprotectin: intestinal inflammation is likely. Causes may include inflammatory bowel disease, infection or medicines, so a doctor decides on further investigation.
• Negative calprotectin: active intestinal inflammation is unlikely.

Cut-offs are printed on the report. A doctor interprets results alongside symptoms and how much gluten you eat. Gluten’s role is described in more detail in Coeliac disease – the role of gluten.

How to arrange testing

You can have blood taken without an appointment or referral at one of our branches across Croatia (listed on the Contact page). Bring your stool sample with you; collection and submission instructions are also available through the same page. Prices for all tests and panels are available in the price list.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to eat gluten before a coeliac disease test?

Yes. Antibodies are produced only while you eat gluten, so testing after starting a gluten-free diet could be normal despite coeliac disease. Do not change your diet until investigations are complete.

Why does the panel also include a stool test?

Inflammatory bowel diseases cause similar symptoms. Calprotectin shows whether intestinal inflammation is present, giving a doctor information from the same panel about whether another cause should be investigated.

Is a coeliac disease test the same as a gluten intolerance test?

No. This panel checks for antibodies produced in coeliac disease. A genetic test assesses inherited susceptibility: if the report states you have neither HLA-DQ2 nor HLA-DQ8 gene variants, coeliac disease is practically excluded; if you have them, this does not mean disease is present.

Can the test be negative even if I have coeliac disease?

Yes, most often when you ate too little gluten or total IgA is deficient. Testing is therefore performed on a usual gluten-containing diet, with total IgA measured in the same panel.