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Test Results Not Consistent With Celiac?

pookybean

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pookybean Newbie
pookybean
Posted

Hello everyone,  I have been stalking this page for almost 2 weeks now.  I have been having all (or so it seems!) the symptoms of Celiac but never knew anything about it until my aunt emailed me an article and said it sounded like me.  I have been seeing the doctor for some of the issues and realized that I had a lab order for a Celiac Panel but never had the test done.  The doctor never mentioned Celiac to me and I was just waiting for a convenient time to get to the lab.

 

So I went about a week ago and just got the results back today.  The doctor said they are inconsistent with Celiac but I have been looking them up to see if they are consistent with anything else or if it is something I should stay on top of.  These are the results she gave me:

 

NAME                                              VALUE                                          REFERENCE RANGE

Immunoglobulin A                              379                                                     81-463 MG/DL

Gliadin IgG                                          26                                                       <20 Units

Gliadin IgA                                            9                                                       <20 Units

TTG IGA                                              11                                                       <20 Units

TTG IGG                                              15                                                       <20 Units

 

From what I looked up the only one elevated is the Gliadin IgG.  However there are other sites I looked at and others tests results said anything higher than 10 for the last 4 are positive.  So I'm not exactly sure where to go from here.

 

The doctor would like to do a biopsy, she didn't say for Celiac though, but I can't do it right now because I do not have enough sick time at work.  I guess I am trying to decide if this is something I should persue?  I understand that there are different sensitivities and allergies and everyone would probably benefit from going gluten free but before I make that decision I would like to be able to determine if there is a medical reason for doing so or would I be jumping on the fad bandwagon. 

 

Thank you in advance for reading through all this, it got a lot longer than I expected!

 

Megan

 

 

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RMJ Mentor
RMJ
Posted

Different labs may use tests made by different manufacturers. You should go by the reference range of the lab that did your tests.

nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

I would pursue it.  Look into the biopsy.  Also, request the newer deaminated gliadin peptides tests (DGP IgA and DGP IgG). I'm assuming you ahd the ant-gliadin antibodies tests done, and they generally are not as specific or sensitive tests.  If that was the DGP IgG test, then you almost surely have celiac disease.  The DGP IgG tests is one of the most specific tests for celiac disease out there at 99-100% specific to celiac disease.

 

 see pages 11-12 for more info: Open Original Shared Link

 

Welcome to the board.  :)

pookybean Newbie
pookybean
Posted
  • Author

Thank you for responding. I asked the doctor today, she said it was the gliadin tests were the dhg. She also said that it was non specific and that they don't even usually test those but go by the ttg instead.

Then I was told if I have more questions I should make an office appointment (the conversation was via the patient portal).

I have been getting iron infusions for the past 10 weeks and so I don't have any sick time left. I think I may research another gastro doctor while I accrue more time, at least I will be able to ask some questions this time around.

Thanks again

pookybean Newbie
pookybean
Posted
  • Author

Sorry, the gliadin was the dgp igg test.

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

My DGP Iga was the ONLY one above range on my complete panel! Guess what? My biopsies revealed a Marsh Stage IIIB (moderate to severe intestinal damage). My main symptom was anemia with really no intestinal issues (at least that stood out, but later found that I was constipated even though I had a BM daily).

My new doctor did say that it was weird that the TTG did not catch my celiac disease diagnosis. Now, my family needs to get the full panel to insure that a diagnosis is not missed.

Make sure at least four to six biopsies are taken and keep eating gluten until all testing is complete!

RollingAlong Explorer
RollingAlong
Posted

Well, FWIW, DH never had any positive blood tests and he saw several docs, 4 or 5. 

 

He has had a positive fecal TTG from Enterolab - please note that this test is not formally validated.  Here's a link to info on fecal TTG from celiac.com:

https://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/blog/856/entry-1546-enterolab-a-scientists-viewpoint/

 

 

He did have an endoscopy and that day the doc said this is celiac, but the biopsy results were negative.  He got a set of color images from the procedure so he could see what the doc was talking about.  The doc supported the idea of a gluten free diet despite the biopsy results.  The photos were a big part of what convinced him to change his diet. 

 

Here are some sample pics:  Open Original Shared Link

 

No positive tests, no formal diagnosis, but he's in great health on a strict gluten and casein free diet. 

 

Good luck getting it all sorted out.  

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  • 2 weeks later...
pookybean Newbie
pookybean
Posted
  • Author

I had an appointment with my hematologist last week and I was talking to him about the celiac panel and the brush off from the GI. He offered to run the panel again, but would not do the extra test (the EMA?). I just got the results back from that one, this has the same range as the first, above 20 is positive.

My dgp igg was 33, dgp iga was 14. Ttg igg was 19, ttg iga was 15.

So some of them went up a bit. There was 2 wks between the two tests. Any thoughts? He wouldn't say much about the results, just strongly recommended I get the endoscopy done. There is a celiac center at one of the hospitals here that I am trying to get in with. I don't feel I could trust the GI I already saw.

nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

Looks positive to me.  The DGP IgG is something like 98-100% specific to celiac disease, which means if you have a positive you have celiac disease.  You have a positive and your other tests are really close to being abnormal. 

 

The EMA IgA is rarely dodn if the tTG IgA was negative.  The two tests are very similar but the EMA detects more advanced damage.  Since your tTG IgA was negative, it is very likely your EMA IgA would be too.

 

If I was you, I would assume you are a celiac whether or not you have the biopsy done.  :(

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