In our recent blog, we shared some insight. This week’s blog will share information on Marsh Scores and celiac disease. Our team of Orlando gastroenterologists can help new and returning patients take care of their small intestinal tract, so their daily lives are less impacted by lifelong choices leaving intestinal damage such as villous atrophy.

Villous atrophy:

As we shared last time readers dropped in, villous atrophy is when the protein gluten damages the small intestinal lining. Before gluten damages the lining of small intestine in a person with celiac disease, it has strange surface covered in villi. When the villi are not there anymore, it is called villous atrophy.

The small fingerlike villi inside of the small intestine are in charge of absorbing nutrients from food consumed. For people with villous atrophy, the villi are not there to absorb nutrients leaving the person lacking detrimental nutrients.

This, of course, can leave lasting effects. To measure the extent of the damage, doctors use a Marsh Score system. This way to rate the damage of the small intestine is just as easy to understand as it is quick.

Getting a Marsh Score:

For patients with celiac disease, the doctor will likely perform and endoscopy and biopsy to determine whether or not the small intestine has been damaged by gluten. In most cases, there is damage, so do not be alarmed if you are told you have this issue.

After the endoscopy, a pathologist will examine the tissue samples to check for additional damage caused by gluten consumption. The pathologist will rate the condition of the samples based on the rating system called the Marsh Score.

If a patient has not yet been diagnosed with celiac disease thus far, they will be at this point if damage is documented. At this point, the patient would be informed on how advanced the condition is. However, celiac disease is not the only condition that can cause some of these changes.

Because other medical conditions can cause villous atrophy or other damage, Orlando gastroenterologists do not give a celiac disease diagnosis or villous atrophy diagnosis after one test of either an endoscopy and a biopsy.

Both are necessary in diagnosing celiac disease. Although some people consider the biopsy to be the “golden standard” for celiac diagnosis, it is not completely accurate.

One must consider a few variables. The results of the celiac blood test and the person’s ultimate response to a gluten-free diet can also assist in getting the right diagnosis according to Very Well Health.

Orlando gastroenterologists giving answers:

During an endoscopy, if your Orlando gastroenterologists see a normally villi-lined small intestine, it is likely they do not have celiac disease. In a normally healthy small intestine, a person would receive a Marsh Score of zero. This is also referred to as pre-infiltrative stage.

In the stage of Marsh Score one, the cells on the surface of the intestinal lining have more lymphocytes among them than normal. When the doctor sees too many lymphocytes, it indicates inflammation and the potential for damage. If the patient has too many lymphocytes but does not have celiac disease, your Orlando gastroenterologists may look into checking for an inflammatory bowel disease such as Sjorgren’s syndrome.

Come back next week as we share more on the other Marsh Scores. Be careful when switching to a gluten-free diet if you think you have celiac disease. You may possibly throw off your score and complicate the diagnosis process.

Ask your gastro doctor if you should cut out gluten before making any drastic dietary changes on your own. Remember, if you are not sure, ask your doctor! See you next time.

Staff Writer