Anti Gliadin Up after gluten-free diet

[jerrycho]

Hi,

See if any experts here can help.

My test result in May 2016 was

Total igA normal

anti ttg igA 42 (20 is cutoff)

anti gliadin igA 55 (20 cutoff)

I didnt choose to have a biopsy so I just went gluten-free

I took repeated test about 50 days apart and the anti ttg igA went from 42--20---36---20---17. It has become negative.

Antigliadin igA went from 55--50---47---70. 

Anyone can explain what the hell is going on with these numbers?

[ironictruth]

So, celiac tests can come back positive in other diseases unfortunately. 

They can also have similar names. The gliadin test for example, may or may not actually be deamidated gliadin which is reportedly a newer test. If you get a copy of your actual labs, you can google the name of the company and test. For example, Inova Diagnostics Gliadin Lite II is actually a deamidated gliadin test whereas they also offer an older version of the test. 

I had a bunch of conflicting tests recently as well.

You might want to consider testing to see if you carry a gene. 

Of course the simple answer may just be that trace gluten contaminations are still occurring in your diet. Deamidated gliadin might be the antibody to first to rise and fall. I was told by a celiac specialist to disregard the deamidated gliadin all together but I have a hard time doing so. Especially after seeing biopsy proven folks on here who only test positive to it. 

It would be interesting to see what your TTG was when you tested the gliadin each time. 

What does your GI think? 

[jerrycho]

Yes my doctor just say maybe still hve some gluten in diet.

 

My TTG igA went 42--20--36--20--17. The rise to 36 midway was weird. But maybe I was testing them too closely spaced.Below 20 is negative

 

The gliadin is the old gliadin test, not the demidated one. It went 55-50--47--70.Below 20 is negative

[GFinDC]

Hi jerry,

It is easy for gluten to sneak into our diets at the beginning.  You may need to check your vitamins, teas, coffee, etc.  Also any shared foods like butter or peanut butter, jam etc are a problem.

Kissing can be a problem if the other person hasn't brushed their teeth since eating gluten.  It really takes only a very small amount of gluten to cause an immune reaction.  So we have ot e aware of cross contamination issues also.

There is a Newbie 101 thread in the Coping With section that might help.

 

[cyclinglady]

Fifty days apart is a bit excessive for testing.  At least based on the recommended celiac follow-up testing published by the GI Associations and celiac centers like the University of Chicago.  They typically recommend follw-up testing at 3 months, six months, and then annually.  The goal is to see an antiodies downward tend.  It can take a year or more for antibodies to come down.   Remember, it takes a while to learn the gluten free diet.  

I am one of the weird members who only gets a result on the DGP test.  It is elevated when I get glutened and take up to six months to come down.   My strategy is to avoid eating out.  I just returned from a trip to Arizona.  I stayed at a resort with family and friends, but hubby and I dined in our room.  I brought meals from home.  Luckily, the resort room had a small kitchen.  We just had a glass of wine when we ate with our friends.  

We did eat out.  Found four, yes, four 100% gluten free restaurants!  Two of them were excellent!  So nice to sit and eat without a care in the world!  

 

[ironictruth]

8 hours ago, cyclinglady said:

Fifty days apart is a bit excessive for testing.  At least based on the recommended celiac follow-up testing published by the GI Associations and celiac centers like the University of Chicago.  They typically recommend follw-up testing at 3 months, six months, and then annually.  The goal is to see an antiodies downward tend.  It can take a year or more for antibodies to come down.   Remember, it takes a while to learn the gluten free diet.  

I am one of the weird members who only gets a result on the DGP test.  It is elevated when I get glutened and take up to six months to come down.   My strategy is to avoid eating out.  I just returned from a trip to Arizona.  I stayed at a resort with family and friends, but hubby and I dined in our room.  I brought meals from home.  Luckily, the resort room had a small kitchen.  We just had a glass of wine when we ate with our friends.  

We did eat out.  Found four, yes, four 100% gluten free restaurants!  Two of them were excellent!  So nice to sit and eat without a care in the world!  

 

Nice to find some 100% gluten-free places to eat!

[jerrycho]

Yes i just find the final 70 value for the antigliadin to be weird because it is even higher than the initial value when i was eating like noodle and bread everyday before the first testing.  So even if i have some cross contamination, it shouldnt be higher than original value?

 

And then anti ttg igA trending downwards.... which is good.just antigliadin igA...up? weird.  Sorry i am a math major... so i tend to analyze things in this manner. 

 

Then of course, i know antibodies might not work that way. A positive is a positive. Or maybe there is some form of immune response rebound... maybe.... 

[cyclinglady]

12 hours ago, jerrycho said:

Yes i just find the final 70 value for the antigliadin to be weird because it is even higher than the initial value when i was eating like noodle and bread everyday before the first testing.  So even if i have some cross contamination, it shouldnt be higher than original value?

 

And then anti ttg igA trending downwards.... which is good.just antigliadin igA...up? weird.  Sorry i am a math major... so i tend to analyze things in this manner. 

 

Then of course, i know antibodies might not work that way. A positive is a positive. Or maybe there is some form of immune response rebound... maybe.... 

But it can be higher.  After my glutening last summer (and i have no clue as to what glutened me), my antibodies four weeks later were off the charts compard  to when i was eating gluten daily prior to my diagnosis.  Actually, each time i have been glutened, it has been much higher.  

Remember, gluten triggers an autoimmune flare-up (unlike lupus, RA, Crohn's etc where no one knows the trigger).  Antibodies and symptoms can continue to develop long after the initial glutening.  The DGP test may be better at detecting your response to gluten. 

[jerrycho]

10 hours ago, cyclinglady said:

But it can be higher.  After my glutening last summer (and i have no clue as to what glutened me), my antibodies four weeks later were off the charts compard  to when i was eating gluten daily prior to my diagnosis.  Actually, each time i have been glutened, it has been much higher.  

Remember, gluten triggers an autoimmune flare-up (unlike lupus, RA, Crohn's etc where no one knows the trigger).  Antibodies and symptoms can continue to develop long after the initial glutening.  The DGP test may be better at detecting your response to gluten. 

Yea this is weird but real.  Now just a little bit of gluten, unintentional one can elevate the antigliadin levels, whereas anti TTG igA remains low.Is really confusing sometimes. I think TTG correlates with level of intestinal damage?  Antigliadin...is very sensitve...and alot countries dont offer this test anymore, changing to DGP.  Am I right?

[jerrycho]

Ok just went for another round of testing.

 

Gliadin igA finally at all time lowest. So it went from 55--50---47---70-----40.  Is at a 40 now.70 is an anomaly?

 

Anti ttg igA---42---20---36----20---17---14.  36 also an anomaly?

 

this recent test includes dgp... iga igg both negatives.

[cyclinglady]

Remember, the celiac tests are not perfect; hence,  the continued recommendation to diagnose with a biopsy.   You did not go that route.  Your blood tests were convincing.  The gluten-free diet should also be viewed as another "test"  to detemine your diagnosis.  

So, you have been talking about blood test numbers.  How are your symptoms?  Improving?  Do you think you are adhering to the gluten-free diet (that could explain the rise that you were concerned about).  That is what is important.  Sticking to the diet, because celiac disease is not cureable and the diet is the only solution at this time.  We just have to move forward and deal with it.  I am thankful that my symptoms are not just "all in my head".  My heart goes out to those struggling to get a correct diagnosis.  

The good news is that your lab tests are showing improvement, so you must be doing something right!  Keep up the good work!  

 

[Gemini]

On November 27, 2016 at 9:33 PM, jerrycho said:

Yea this is weird but real.  Now just a little bit of gluten, unintentional one can elevate the antigliadin levels, whereas anti TTG igA remains low.Is really confusing sometimes. I think TTG correlates with level of intestinal damage?  Antigliadin...is very sensitve...and alot countries dont offer this test anymore, changing to DGP.  Am I right?

The tTg may not spike upwards much after a small gluten hit.  It would take repeated hits for that to go up and show on blood work. Yes, the tTg correlates to intestinal damage so if you are mainly gluten-free but take a small hit, it may or may not be enough for it to elevate and be caught on blood work. That is why they want you to be consuming gluten right up to the biopsy and blood work because once you go gluten free, damage starts to heal and that affects testing.

Yes, the AGA (anti gliadin) is sensitive and a good test to use but the DGP is even more sensitive.......it's the newer, improved version of the AGA.  That bump up could have been from a gluten hit because it is the test for the reaction to the gluten you are consuming.

I think you are testing too much.  At the very least, test at six months out but many wait for a year.......unless your symptoms are not improving.  I refused the biopsy also because I was too damn sick to do one but had sky high blood work at diagnosis......on all the tests in the panel.  I waited for 1 year to be re-tested and all numbers were in the normal range at 1 year.