Anti-endomysial ab titer of 1:10, Dr. says nothing?

[katiebeth 0]

I've had lower left abdominal pain in the same spot for a year and a half. I'm having a CT scan on Wednesday, but in the meantime my Dr. did my annal blood work and added in the test for Celiac. She sent me my lab results saying that I should take a Vitamin D supplement but that everything else was stable. I went through all of the lab results myself and my Celiac test showed an anti-endomysial ab titer of 1:10, bolded and in red with a big red "A" next to it, but she didn't mention it. It says the normal range is less than 1:10. 

Gliadin(DP)IgA and IgG are both well within the normal range.

I called my Dr.'s office requesting a call back from the Dr. to discuss this, but considering my history of abdominal pain I'd think she'd at least address it? Am I wrong? Would the 1:10 only be a concern if the other 2 #s were abnormal? Any insight would be much appreciated!

[cyclinglady 1,569]

1 hour ago, katiebeth said:

I've had lower left abdominal pain in the same spot for a year and a half. I'm having a CT scan on Wednesday, but in the meantime my Dr. did my annal blood work and added in the test for Celiac. She sent me my lab results saying that I should take a Vitamin D supplement but that everything else was stable. I went through all of the lab results myself and my Celiac test showed an anti-endomysial ab titer of 1:10, bolded and in red with a big red "A" next to it, but she didn't mention it. It says the normal range is less than 1:10. 

Gliadin(DP)IgA and IgG are both well within the normal range.

I called my Dr.'s office requesting a call back from the Dr. to discuss this, but considering my history of abdominal pain I'd think she'd at least address it? Am I wrong? Would the 1:10 only be a concern if the other 2 #s were abnormal? Any insight would be much appreciated!

Hi KatieBeth!

I think your result is just boarderline, but I am not an EMA expert (what am I saying...I am not a doctor either!)   Mine were always negative even in follow-up testing.  The EMA is pretty specific to celiac disease, but it is subjective and labor intensive which means it is expensive. But what concerns me is why your doctor did not order the standard celiac screening TTG IgA and TTG IgG tests.  Instead she ordered the DGP tests.  That is odd.  Are you sure you have all the test results?  If not, I would ask for the TTG tests and an IgA deficiency test.  

Learn more about the EMA test in this document:

http://www.mdpi.com/2079-9721/3/2/86/pdf

Here is the most common algorithm for diagnosing celiac disease (your doctor did not follow?):

http://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/it-mmfiles/Celiac_Disease_Diagnostic_Testing_Algorithm.pdf

In any case, it only takes one positive on the panel to move forward to an endoscopy.  Keep eating gluten until all testing is complete!  This is critical!!!!!

BTW, a CT scan will rarely catch celiac disease to my knowledge, unless damage from malabsorption is so severe as to change the structure of the bowel.  Possible, but unlikely.   

Edited June 9, 2017 by cyclinglady