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Has Anyone Had A 0 On The Ttg Blood Test?


no-more-muffins

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no-more-muffins Apprentice

I am seriously confused by some of my results. The more I have been researching things the more I think my blood tests may not be valid. I have heard that having a 0 on the tTG test seems suspicious, and that everyone pretty much has at least some tTG present if they sufficiently make IgA.

My total IgA was 115, (normal range 68-378)

My tTG was 0 (range 0-19 being normal)

I got tests from enterolab for gluten sensitivity that came back as a 6 (anything over a 10 is positive.)

My symptoms:

weight loss, short stature, failure to grow as a child, late puberty, anxiety, depression, eczema, constant nausea, frequent loose BM, hand tremors, joint pain, headaches, insomnia, fatigue, menstrual irregularities, periodontal disease, endometriosis (14 years ago).

I have seen improvement with a gluten-free diet.

My 21 month old dd was positively diagnosed at enterolab as having gluten sensitivity (18 units on the test).

Anyone have any insight on this? I can't figure out why my gluten tests at enterolab could be negative.


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Switch2GF Rookie

Blood tests are not the "official" way to diagnose, they are just an easy first step.

My dad's blood work also came up with a 0. They determined that some people's body just don't produce the antibody that they are looking for.

An endoscopy is the true way of diagnosing. If you and your doc want to be 100% sure, then this is the next step. Best of luck!

darlindeb25 Collaborator
An endoscopy is the true way of diagnosing. If you and your doc want to be 100% sure, then this is the next step.

This is not necessarily true either. A good share of doctors miss a diagnosis with the endoscopy. either they do not know what they are looking at, or they do not get enough samples, so many varitables.

Recently, Dr. Peter Green stated a positive blood test is proof. This is something new from him. I think soon, we will hear many new thoughts on gluten intolerance/celiac disease.

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    • Scott Adams
      Based on those results alone, it’s not possible to say you have celiac disease. The test that is usually most specific for celiac, tTG-IgA, is negative in your results, and the endomysial antibody (EMA) is also negative, which generally argues against active celiac disease. However, your deamidated gliadin IgA is elevated, and your total IgA level is also high, which can sometimes affect how the other antibody tests behave. Another important factor is that you were reducing gluten before the test, which can lower antibody levels and make the results less reliable. Because of that, many doctors recommend a gluten challenge (eating gluten regularly for several weeks) before repeating blood tests or considering an endoscopy if symptoms and labs raise concern. It would be best to review these results with a gastroenterologist, who can interpret them in context and decide whether further testing is needed.
    • trents
      Since you compromised the validity of the antibody testing by experimenting with gluten withdrawal ahead of the testing, you are faced with two options: 1. Reintroduce significant amounts of gluten into your diet for a period of weeks, i.e., undertake a "gluten challenge". The most recent guidelines are the daily consumption of at least 10g of gluten (about the amount found in 4-6 slices of wheat-based bread) for at least two weeks leading up to the day of testing. Note: I would certainly give it more than two weeks to be sure. 2. Be willing to live with the ambiguity of not knowing whether gluten causes you problems because you have celiac disease or NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity). There is no test for NCGS. Celiac disease must first be ruled out and we have tests for it. Celiac disease has an autoimmune base. NCGS does not. GI symptoms overlap. In the early stages of celiac disease, other body systems may not be showing stress or damage so, symptomatically, it would be difficult to distinguish between celiac disease and NCGS. Both conditions require elimination of gluten from the diet for symptom relief. Some experts feel that NCGS can be a precursor to celiac disease.
    • suek54
      Hi Kayla Huge sympathies. I was diagnosed in December, after 8 months of the most awful rash, literally top to toe. Mine is a work in progress. Im on just 50mg dapsone at the moment but probably need an increased dose to properly put the lid on it. As you have been now glutened, I wondered whether it might be worth asking for a skin biopsy to finally get a proper diagnosis? Sue  
    • MicG
      I had been eating reduced gluten until about 3 days before the test. I did realize that wasn’t ideal, but it was experimental to see if gluten was actually bothering me. One slip up with soy sauce and it was quite clear to me that it was, lol. 
    • trents
      Possibly. Your total IGA (Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum) is actually high so you are not IGA deficient. In the absence of IGA deficiency, the most reliable celiac antibody test would be the t-Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA for which your score is within normal range. There are other things besides celiac disease that might cause an elevated DGP-IGA (Deamidated Gliadin Abs, lgA) for which you do have a positive score. It might also be of concern that your total IGA is elevated as that can indicate some other health problems, some of which are serious.  Had you been practicing a gluten free or a reduced gluten free diet prior to the blood draw? Talk to your physician about these things. I would also seek an endoscopy/biopsy of the small bowel to check for damage to the villous lining, which is the gold standard diagnostic test for celiac disease.
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