Need Help Interpreting Test Results

[MarionG]

Hi All, 

 

I was wondering if you guys could help me to interpret these test results? These are from a celiacs blood panel that they did. Unfortunately I couldn't make it through the gluten challenge, I only lasted a week.

 

Lab: CELIAC DISEASE PANEL Name   Value   Reference Range GLIADIN AB IgA   2.3   <7 GLIADIN AB IGG   0.6   <7 IgA,SERUM   272   73-347 MG/DL (tTG) Ab, IgA   1.2   <7 U/mL TTG IGG   0.5   <7 U/mL

 

 

Thank you!

 

Marion

[nvsmom]

The Gliadin Ab is probably the older (and less reliable) AGA or anti-gliadin antibody tests. It looks like your AGA IgA and AGA IgG are normal.

 

Serum IgA is a conrol test to see if your body makes enough IgA for accurate IgA based testing (in your case, the AGA IgA and tTG IgA). About 5% of celiacs are IgA deficient. Yours is normal so testing should not be affected by that problem.

 

Your tissue transglutiminase tests (tTG IgA and tTG IgG) bothe look normal/negative as well.

 

Those tests point towards celiac disease not being present but the tests aren't perfect, and they missed the newer DGP (deaminated gliadin peptide) tests completely.  How long were you off gluten? If you've been off it since October, that could definitely cause false negatives.

[MarionG]

Thanks for the reply! 

 

That's starting to make alot more sense. These results were from 1 week gluten challenge. I was off gluten for about 2 yrs prior, so the Dr. suggested a gluten challenge but I only made it 1 week because my symptoms were so severe. 

[NoGlutenCooties]

One week of gluten after being gluten-free for 2 years is not long enough for your body to make enough antibodies for them to show up on the tests.  Unfortunately, in my opinion, this test was useless.  However, if you had symptoms so severe that you couldn't take eating gluten for more than a week I think you have your answer.  You have Celiac - or non-Celiac gluten intolerance.  Were you diagnosed before going gluten-free for those 2 years?

[MarionG]

No I was never diagnosed. I didn't have insurance or money at the time, but gluten was killing me so I cut it out and felt alot better. Recently though I started having symptoms again and seizures. I ended up in the ER twice so I had to finally try and get diagnosed. I think I was getting CC though and that's why the symptoms came back. I didn't think much about it back then but now I do! 

 

I agree with you the test was useless, oh well. I guess I'll just keep on with gluten free and being super careful about CC, it seems to be working so far. 

 

Regards!

Marion

[NoGlutenCooties]

Keep in mind that for many, after going gluten-free their reactions to even small amounts of gluten (i.e. cross contamination) can get more severe over time - they can also change over time.  So it is possible that cross-contamination may not have bothered you much in the past but will bother you more the longer you are gluten-free.  (Possible... but not inevitable... everyone is different.)