Marker group

Coeliac Serology

Plain-English guides to the coeliac serology markers we measure and what your results mean, written to inform the conversation with your practitioner.

Markers in this group

Deamidated Gliadin Peptide (DGP)This is a blood test that helps your doctor investigate coeliac disease, an immune reaction to gluten. It is especially useful in young children, and in people who make too little of the antibody the main coeliac test relies on. Like all coeliac tests, it only counts if you are still eating gluten. A positive result is a prompt for the next step, not a diagnosis.Endomysial Antibodies (EMA)This is a blood test that helps confirm coeliac disease — an immune reaction to gluten. It is a more specialised follow-up test, usually run on a separate sample once a first coeliac test comes back positive. Like all coeliac blood tests, it only means something if you are still eating gluten, and the diagnosis itself is confirmed by a specialist.Tissue Transglutaminase IgA (tTG-IgA)This is the main blood test used when coeliac disease is being investigated, an immune reaction to gluten. It looks for an antibody your body makes when gluten is harming the lining of your small bowel. This only works if you are still eating gluten when you give blood. If you have already cut gluten out, it is worth pausing and talking to your GP before testing, because going gluten-free can make the result come back falsely clear even if you do have coeliac disease. A positive result is a prompt for the next step, not a diagnosis on its own.Total IgA (Immunoglobulin A)This is a check that your body makes enough of a key antibody type (IgA), so the coeliac blood tests can be trusted. A small number of people make too little IgA, which can make the main coeliac test read negative even when it shouldn't. So this test is run at the same time to catch that — it is a safety check on the result, not the coeliac test itself.

Reading results in this group

low

A low antibody level is the expected, reassuring finding.

Possible reasons:

A low or negative level is the expected finding in most people.

Next steps: No follow-up is usually needed.

in range

A negative result makes coeliac disease less likely. It is most reliable when you have been eating gluten regularly before the test.

Possible reasons:

No active antibody response was detected at the time of testing.
A gluten-free diet before testing can lower antibody levels and mask coeliac disease.

Next steps: No follow-up is usually needed unless symptoms persist. Do not start a gluten-free diet before discussing with your GP, as it affects testing.

elevated

Raised coeliac antibodies can be associated with an immune reaction to gluten. They support a conversation with your GP rather than confirming coeliac disease on their own.

Ongoing bloating, diarrhoea, fatigue, or unexplained iron deficiency?

Possible reasons:

An immune response to gluten is one possible reason, which a health practitioner would confirm.
Antibody levels can vary between laboratories and assays.

Next steps: Discuss with your GP. A positive screen is usually confirmed with further assessment before any diagnosis or change to your diet.

Test your coeliac serology

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