IgA Deficient

[BigDogz]

Hello, everyone...

I was recently seen by a Rheumatologist due to muscle & joint pain, extreme fatigue, GERD, episodic diarrhea & these crazy rashes that are worsened when in the sun. As part of my testing he ran a total IgA test & it was undetectable according to the lab. He also ran tTG-IgG, Gliadin IgG tests & HLA testing. The Gliadin test was entirely negative (<1.0). The HLA testing showed "HLA-DQB1 0202 & HLA-DQB1 0603, serologic equivalent: HLA-DQ 2,1 (subtype 2,6)". The tTG- IgG was 8.5U/ml. The lab that ran it uses 15U/ml as the level for a positive test so they declared that testing negative, as well. I note that other institutions consider up to 9.0U/ml as "weakly positive". 

1) Based on these results, am I negative or "weakly positive" for Celiac?

2) Do these results indicate that I'm "gluten sensitive/intolerant"?

3) Being completely IgA deficient, will I eventually develop Celiac Disease?

4) Would I benefit and/or prevent further gluten-related issues if I adopt a gluten-free lifestyle?

 

Thanks so much for your knowledge & insights!

[Scott Adams]

To me your blood test results are likely negative, as your doctor indicated, but they may indicate that you have some level of gluten sensitivity, so you may still want to try a gluten-free diet.  Approximately 10x more people have non-celiac gluten sensitivity than have celiac disease, but there isn’t yet a test for NCGS. If your symptoms go away on a gluten-free diet it would likely signal NCGS.

 

 

[RMJ]

Were you eating gluten prior to the testing? From your previous posts it looks like you try to be gluten free.