Isolated DPG-Iga

[Kmd2024]

 Has anyone ever negative blood work except for the DPG-IGA? Mine was 42 (reference range negative is >20. The TTG iga was negative.

I have always suffered from bad gas issues and lately have been having bouts of diarrhea and constipation. I also have a bumpy rash that comes and goes below both elbows.

i have an endoscopy scheduled in May but I was just wondering if anyone else had bloodwork like this and what was the end result?

[trents]

The DGP-IGA is valuable when celiac is suspected but the person being tested is IGA deficient. Were you tested for IGA deficiency. In other words, was there a test known as "Total IGA" ordered?

Here is an overview of the various blood tests that can be run when diagnosing celiac disease: 

 

[Kmd2024]

No they did not run a total IGA. But wouldn’t the DPG-IGA also be negative also if I was IGA deficient? They did also run a TTG-IGG and a DPG-IGG and they were also negative.

[trents]

From the article I linked above:

DGP-IgA and DGP-IgG (Deamidated Gliadin Peptide) Blood Tests for Celiac Disease

These tests measure the levels of antibodies in the blood, but specifically targets deamidated gliadin peptides, which are a type of gluten protein that can trigger an immune response in people with celiac disease. The test is not always included in adults, but should be in cases with IgA deficiency. 

I'm not sure if this is a grammatical error or not but in the context, two tests are being spoken of together so it could be intended to say, "These tests". I'll ask Scott about that.

[Kmd2024]

Hmm interesting I just assumed that any “IGA” tests including the DPG iga would be negative in a person who is IGA deficient but maybe that is not the case for the DPG test.

[trents]

So, I contacted Scott Adams, the author of that article and also the creator/admin of this website, and pointed out to him the need to clarify the information in the paragraph in question. He has now updated the paragraph and it is clear that the DGP-IGA does serve the purpose of circumventing the false negatives that IGA deficiencies can generate in the tTG-IGA antibody test.

[Kmd2024]

Wow, thank you for doing that! So it is possible to have a positive DPG-IGA when IGA deficient? I will be curious to see what the endoscopy shows in May. It seems most people with celiac have clear cut positives on blood work so this has thrown me for a loop.

[trents]

Yes, it is possible. It would have been helpful had your physician run a more complete celiac panel. It is also possible that you are transitioning from NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity) to celiac disease and are in the early stages of villous atrophy damage. NCGS and celiac disease share many of the same GI symptoms.

[Kmd2024]

My primary ordered this blood work and the GI I saw said if the scope is negative she may run a more comprehensive panel and possibly genetic test as well.  Or perhaps this was just a false positive?

my sister and her son have UC and crohns so they are also doing colonoscopy to rule those out. 

[trents]

Sounds like a good plan. I'm impressed that the GI doc thought about the genetic test. It can be helpful in ruling out celiac disease, though the genetics of it aren't quite as cut and dry as originally thought.

[RMJ]

All my antibodies were positive when first diagnosed (TTG IgA and IgG, DGP IgA and IgG). However, the DGP IgA was the last one to decrease into a normal range on a gluten free diet (took several YEARS), and the only one to become positive again when I used flour labeled gluten free that wasn’t gluten free enough for me. (DGP IgG did also rise but stayed within the normal range).

So for several years, DGP IgA was my only positive test.

Good luck with your endoscopy.  I hope you get a clear cut result.

[heyitsme]

I have but two 3 years after diagnosis, on gluten-free diet.