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Biopsy Tomorrow/ Lab Questions

Lisalee1211

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Lisalee1211 Newbie
Lisalee1211
Posted

Well, I have my biopsy tomorrow.

I hope this gives me answers. I'm still reading and learning about blood test results.

If anyone can understand this and could help me I would appreciate it.

My blood test shows my Iga was a 1. < 4 is normal.

My Ttg was a 12.. <6 is normal

Where I got these labs the told me it was celiac. I'm still questioning the results.

I talked to my GI And told him about the labs. So I'm getting the biopsy done.

I decided to do the biopsy because of all the symthoms I have lived with basically my whole life. They have only gotten worse now.

I guess now I just wait and hope for answers.

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nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

Tomorrow?  Great.  :)  I hope the results are very clear cut for you.

 

A weakly positive tTG IgA can be caused by colitis, crohn's, diabetes, thyroiditis, chronic liver disease, and a serious infection  BUT your test result was not weakly positive. :( You were double the normal upper limit whereas I would consider a weak positive to be a 6.5 or 7 something - not 12.

 

A (total serum) IgA test is not a celiac test. The IgA is actually a control test to make sure that you make enough IgA to make the IgA based celiac tests (like the tTG IgA, DGP IgA and EMA IgA) accurate. About 1/20 celiacs are IgA deficient so their celiac IgA based tests (tTG IgA, etc) would be falsely negative.  Your IgA was fine (if a tad on the low side of normal) so your tTG IgA should be accurate (if possibly a tiny bit lower than could have been if you had a higher IgA).

 

Remember to request a minimum of 6 biopsies in your small intestine before the endoscopy. Celiac damage can be patchy so you are less likely to get a false negative biopsy if the doctor takes a bunch of samples.

 

Best of luck tomorrow!  :) Let us know how it goes.

Lisalee1211 Newbie
Lisalee1211
Posted
  • Author

Tomorrow?  Great.  :)  I hope the results are very clear cut for you.

 

A weakly positive tTG IgA can be caused by colitis, crohn's, diabetes, thyroiditis, chronic liver disease, and a serious infection  BUT your test result was not weakly positive. :( You were double the normal upper limit whereas I would consider a weak positive to be a 6.5 or 7 something - not 12.

 

A (total serum) IgA test is not a celiac test. The IgA is actually a control test to make sure that you make enough IgA to make the IgA based celiac tests (like the tTG IgA, DGP IgA and EMA IgA) accurate. About 1/20 celiacs are IgA deficient so their celiac IgA based tests (tTG IgA, etc) would be falsely negative.  Your IgA was fine (if a tad on the low side of normal) so your tTG IgA should be accurate (if possibly a tiny bit lower than could have been if you had a higher IgA).

 

Remember to request a minimum of 6 biopsies in your small intestine before the endoscopy. Celiac damage can be patchy so you are less likely to get a false negative biopsy if the doctor takes a bunch of samples.

 

Best of luck tomorrow!  :) Let us know how it goes.

Nicole,

Thanks so much for your input. I will let you know how it goes!!

GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

Hiya LisaLee!

It looks like docs may have only run:

Total Serum IgA

tTG-IgA

If so...please request a full celiac antibody panel tomorrow.

Balance of tests:

tTG-IgG

EMA-IgA

DGP-IgA

DGP-IgG

good luck and do let us know how you fare :)

Oh...have whomever is with you ask the doctor to tell them what he/she saw...often these verbal descriptions provide more information than the procedural report....which you should ask for a written copy of...along with the pathology report.

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