Endomysial IgA LIS Code: Endomysial IgA
Private endomysial IgA (EMA) blood test £54 for coeliac disease. Keep eating gluten before the test. No GP referral. Slough, Victoria, Neasden.
Before your test
Good to know: Keep eating gluten (for example bread, pasta or cereal) in more than one meal a day for at least 6 weeks before your test, or the result may be falsely negative.
Test Categories
About this test
Endomysial antibodies (EMA) are antibodies the immune system makes in coeliac disease, where eating gluten damages the lining of the small intestine. The EMA IgA test is a very specific blood test for coeliac disease: a positive result makes it highly likely.
Keep eating gluten before your test
The test only works if you're eating gluten. UK guidance is to eat some gluten (for example bread, pasta or cereal) in more than one meal every day for at least 6 weeks before testing. If you've already cut gluten out, the result can be falsely negative.
Who has an EMA test
- Ongoing bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, wind or tummy pain.
- Unexplained tiredness, weight loss, or low iron, B12 or folate.
- Mouth ulcers, an itchy blistering rash (dermatitis herpetiformis) or thinning bones at a young age.
- A close relative with coeliac disease, type 1 diabetes or autoimmune thyroid disease.
What your result means
- Negative: coeliac disease is unlikely, as long as you were eating gluten and your total IgA level is normal.
- Positive: coeliac disease is very likely. Adults are usually referred to a gastroenterologist, who may confirm it with a biopsy. Don't stop eating gluten until you've spoken to a doctor.
About 1 in 50 people with coeliac disease don't make IgA antibodies, which can give a false negative. That's why EMA is often tested with tissue transglutaminase (tTG) IgA and total IgA. Our Coeliac Profile combines these in one blood draw.
How it works at VitaLync
- £54 for the test, plus a £25 blood draw at our Slough, Victoria or Neasden clinic, or a nurse visit at home or work.
- No fasting is needed, and you can book any time of day.
- The laboratory usually reports EMA within about 7 days, and your result appears in your secure online account.
