One Test Positive, The Other Negative

[SuzieQ]

Hello All!

I am new to the thought of Celiac Disease and this forum. I found out today that my IGA test results were normal and my IGG results were somewhat high - 43. These were both for antigliadin. Does this mean I have Celiac Disease? I talked to the office manager at the doctor's office and she couldn't tell me much. She said these were the only two tests he ordered. She said they were referring me to a Gastroenterologist who might just want to "watch" the levels.

I have had Dermatitis Herpetiformis when I eat lots of grains - Sun Chips brings it on really strong, so I thought it was just a given I had Celiac.

Any Insight is appreciated!

Thanks.

[Guest stef 4 dogs]

Hello All!

I am new to the thought of Celiac Disease and this forum. I found out today that my IGA test results were normal and my IGG results were somewhat high - 43. These were both for antigliadin. Does this mean I have Celiac Disease? I talked to the office manager at the doctor's office and she couldn't tell me much. She said these were the only two tests he ordered. She said they were referring me to a Gastroenterologist who might just want to "watch" the levels.

I have had Dermatitis Herpetiformis when I eat lots of grains - Sun Chips brings it on really strong, so I thought it was just a given I had Celiac.

Any Insight is appreciated!

Thanks.

Hi there! To my understanding, it's not confirmed without the endoscopy and biopsy. I beleive the blood test are part of the process but not all of the process. Be careful if you do go to the endcrinologist and you have started a gluten free diet, you may in fact skew the results. Be sure to inform your doctor of your dietary changes and when you started. I believe it would be helpful to you to have that peice of the puzzle!

stef 4 dogs

[jenvan]

So you have not been gluten-free at all? When did the DH and or other syptoms begin? IgGs typically take longer to rise in response to gluten and take longer to return to normal on a gluten-free diet, whereas IgA's go up and come down quick. Hence my question on your diet.

[aikiducky]

I have had Dermatitis Herpetiformis when I eat lots of grains - Sun Chips brings it on really strong, so I thought it was just a given I had Celiac.

Do you mean you've been diagnosed with DH, or that you have a rash that appears when you eat grains and that you suspect is DH? AFAIK it can be diagnosed by a biopsy of your skin (when you're having the rash) and if you have DH, yes you definitively have celiac and need to be gluten free.

Pauliina

[SuzieQ]

Thanks for the help everyone. The Friday before last when I had the blistery rash that I believed to be DH, I was in my doctor's office for another problem. I have been having problems with what is probably heartburn, so I was including everything I could think of that is related. I had been eating a lot of whole grains (lots of yummy Sun Chips) and had this blistery rash on the back of my knees and in the folds of my elbows. I told the doctor about the bloating problem I have - I look 9 months pregnant most of the time. He started asking me "Celiac" type questions, so I asked him if he thought it was a possibility. I had read about the symptoms a couple of years ago when I started getting the rash in my elbows and behind my knees. I showed him my arm and he said he thought that might be what it is. He ordered blood tests to test for it.

The DH type rash started showing up about 2 years ago, and only when I "overdose" on grains.

I immediately started eliminating as much gluten as possible to see if I felt better. The lethargy and brain fog left right away. Four days after the doctor's visit, I was to have the blood test, so the day before- on Monday I ate a bowl of Raisin Bran for breakfast and had a sandwich on whole wheat for lunch. I don't know if I had been eating enough gluten for the IgA part of the test to register properly.

I picked up a fax of my test results a little while ago, and those two tests IgA and IgG to antigliadin were the only two he ordered. From what I understand there are two other tests that are also very important.

I had someone advise me that an endoscopy will be unnecessary since I have what appears to be DH. Having that, I am definitely positive they said.

I am confused right now. I don't really want to have an endoscopy or biopsy. Can't I just go gluten free and not have it?

[Ursa Major]

SuzieQ, you can have a skin biopsy next to one of the blisters of your rash, and if you're definitely diagnosed with DH, you obviously have Celiac disease and won't need the intestinal biopsy. For you, that would be the best and easiest way to go.

I would suggest you go to a dermatologist, unless your regular family doctor is willing to do the skin biopsy and understands what it means.

[tiredofdoctors]

SuzieQ: If your IgG antigliadin antibodies were that high, you obviously have gluten intolerance -- an autoimmune disease. Antitransglutaminase antibody and Antiendomysial antibody testing are more specific for Celiac. The most definitive diagnosis comes from the small intestine biopsy.

I have high IgG antigliadin antibodies, but have had all the other tests and they are negative for celiac. I do, however, have Gluten Ataxia -- the antigliadin antibodies are cross-reacting with anti-perkinje cells in my body and destroying the perkinje cells in my cerebellum, retinas and peripheral nerves. It is an autoimmune disease, and most recent studies are calling it the "silent celiac".

I agree with Ursula -- I would have the lesion biopsied to find out if it is DH. After that, if necessary, I would push for the additional blood tests, and possibly the small intestine biopsy.