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Can Anyone Else Me Make Sense Of My Daughter's Iga Test?

glutenfreemomma188

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glutenfreemomma188 Apprentice
glutenfreemomma188
Posted

Hey everyone. 

I brought my 4 year old daughter in for a well child check up and mentioned to the doctor that she has been more lethargic then normal and have had occasional abdomenal pains. 

Her weight keeps going up and down, up and down again. Since I myself have Celiacs Disease and turns out ALL OF OUR 4 CHILDREN have the genetic codes to possibly get it, the doctor decided

to check her for Celiacs again. Currently only one test came back (not sure if there are more coming back or not) but I wanted to ask what you guys thought of it. 

 

IGA TEST: Standard range is: 25 ML- 150ML. 

Her result was 89 mL

 

I figure that she would have to watch her gluten intake if she had a result of 75mL but being she is over that, does this look like she could be borderline Celiacs?. 

 

I haven't heard back from the doctor and probably wont until after Labor day. 

 

Just curious, what does this look like to you guys?. 

 

-Mrs. Anderson

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nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

I think that is just the Immunoglobulin A test (IgA) which is just a measure of the immune response in the mucosal linings of the body - it is not actually a celiac disease test. 

 

When testing for celiac disease, doctors often run the tptal serum IgA to ensure the IgA levels are adequate.  About 5% of celiacs are low in IgA and that will cause false negatives in the IgA based celiac disease tests (like tTG IgA, DGP IgA, EMA IgA, and AGA IgA), but that is the only real concern when it comes to celiac disease and the IgA.

 

To test her for celiac disease, run these tests:

tTG IgA and tTG IgG

DGP IgA and DGP IgG (great tests for kids)

EMA IgA

and possibly the older AGA IgA and AGA IgG

 

If the tests are negative and you suspect celiac disease, you could always make her gluten-free until she is much older and wants to try retesting and a gluten challenge (8-12 weeks of eating gluten required for accurate testing).... It's hat I did with my kids.

 

Best wishes.

glutenfreemomma188 Apprentice
glutenfreemomma188
Posted
  • Author

Yeah, I found it to be a little strange that this was the only test I got back so far. I don't know if there are more coming or if the Pediatric doctor has no clue what tests to run for Celiacs?. 

Just for this test alone, does this look abnormal, higher then normal indicating the possibility of Celiacs?. 

I know you have to have more tests done, but just in regards to this one test- what does it look like to you?. 

 

Thank you, 

nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

That test result is really very close to being exactly in the middle of the normal range - the middle would have been about 87.5.  To me, that 89 looks like a fine IgA level, so if she has more celiac tests done, her IgA based celias tests (tTG IgA, DGP IgA, etc) should not result in false negatives caused by a low IgA (since hers is very normal).

 

The ranges given on lab tests are usually the normal range. As a general rule, the vast majority of people (ex.~ 90%) have a normal result. a small minority will be above normal, and often a small minority will be below normal.  In celiac tests, the range usually starts at 0, because zero autoantibodies is the ideal, and then goes up to a certain number depending on the lab and the technique and units used to measure it.  Most celiac tests seem to have ranges like 0-4, or 0-10, or 0-20.  A celiac will usually (more than ~75% of the time) have a an abnormal high reading on those tests. For example, someone with a tTG IgA range of 0-4 may have a result of 8 but a non-celiac would have a 1.  My tTG IgA tests had a normal range of 0-20 but my result was over 200; now that I am gluten-free it is close to the 20 mark.

 

That result is in range, and that is a good thng.  :)  Good lck with the rest of the results.

glutenfreemomma188 Apprentice
glutenfreemomma188
Posted
  • Author

Thank you. 

SMRI Collaborator
SMRI
Posted

In general, when a range is given, anything in that range is normal.  If she were borderline where you would have to worry then the number would be more like 149 or in this case 25. This test is to see if her overall IgA level is in the normal range.  Without knowing the overall IgA, you don't know if the ttIgA number is reliable.  My daughter has immune issues and has low IgA and IgG, so the ttIgA/IgG tests are meaningless for her.  If you are getting this information online, it might just be that the other tests are not entered yet.  Same goes for all lab tests.  Don't read too much into the ranges.  Again, that is all considered normal.  Anything outside of those ranges is when dr's may or may get concerned. 

Cara in Boston Enthusiast
Cara in Boston
Posted

Yes, like the previous poster said, this test is just to see if your daughter has sufficient IgA levels to use the other tests.  High or low (or average, in your case) does not indicate Celiac at all.  If your daughter was low, then the following Celiac tests that rely on Iga (tTg IgA, DGP IgA, etc.) could return a false negative . . . which is why doctors test both IgA and IgG . . . does that make sense?

 

the total IgA test is not a celiac test at all . . . just a test to see if the celiac tests are more likely to be inaccurate.  It is all very confusing.  Especially since you can STILL get a false negative, even if you are not IgA deficient.  

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