Teenager Needing Help With Blood Results

[macdwp01]

Hello, everyone, this is my first post on these forums after i have been looking at them for about a month.

Alright, firstly, i am Australian and my mother was diagnosed with Celiac Disease about 10 years and she has been on a gluten free diet ever since.

However, she did not get blood drawn to assist with the diagnosis, simply because it was not yet developed, so therefore she is unable to help me with intrepreting the results.

I have a range of symptoms consist with celiac disease and i have an appointment with a gastro specialist in May after being sent their by a GP.

These are the results i returned on the Celiac AB Master Blood Test along with comments i recieved on paper:-

Anti Gliadin IgA < 5 U/ml (0-19)

Anti Gliadin IgG 58 U/ml (0-19)

Total Serum IgA 1.5 g/L (0.7-3.6)

Comments:- Anti- Gliadin antibodies are usually found in coeliac disease but also occur in other conditions. Endomysial or tissue transglutaminase IgA antibodies are more specific for active coeliac disease.

If clinically indicated, small bowel biopsy is suggested to clarify the diagnosis.

Obviously, my IgG antibodies are quite high, the numbers in brackets indicate the range the results should be in.

The doctor mentioned that the specialist might decide to either perform more blood tests or a biopsy. I presume these blood tests would be for Endomysial or Tissue Transglutaminase but i could be mistaken, they might have tested those in the first blood tests.

Also, everything else from the tests were normal.

Any advice or comments on my results would be very much appreciated.

Thank You.

PS:- sorry about the length of the message.

[Carriefaith]

Welcome

Your results are high and they indicate that you may have celiac disease. I would suggest getting the Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) test since that test is highly specific for celiac disease. If you want more testing done, make sure that you don't start the gluten-free diet until after your tests. If you start eating gluten-free before testing, your results may be false negative.

[macdwp01]

Welcome

Your results are high and they indicate that you may have celiac disease. I would suggest getting the Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) test since that test is highly specific for celiac disease. If you want more testing done, make sure that you don't start the gluten-free diet until after your tests. If you start eating gluten-free before testing, your results may be false negative.

Thank Your very much for your reply,

Can you confirm that the standard IgA Anti Gliadin Test does not consist of a transglutaminase IgA test or endomsysial test?

I find it strange that the lab would not perform these tests on the first inspection.

[mouse]

There are four to five specific blood tests that should be done. The problem is many doctors out there are from the old school and usually run just one. Mine did, but it indicated Celiac Disease and so I got my diagnosis. Many people are missed because the full Celiac Panel is not done. The lab will only run the exact test that a doctor orders. Please be sure and stay eating gluten until all your tests are done. You don't want to scew the results so that you get a false negative. Good Luck and let us know how you are doing.

[macdwp01]

There are four to five specific blood tests that should be done. The problem is many doctors out there are from the old school and usually run just one. Mine did, but it indicated Celiac Disease and so I got my diagnosis. Many people are missed because the full Celiac Panel is not done. The lab will only run the exact test that a doctor orders. Please be sure and stay eating gluten until all your tests are done. You don't want to scew the results so that you get a false negative. Good Luck and let us know how you are doing.

Thank You for the reply, i will continue eating normal foods and i'll keep everyone informed.

Thank You for the reply, i will continue eating normal foods and i'll keep everyone informed.

Also, i can't understand why a doctor would not perform a full celiac blood test.

It is very frustating especially when at times you feel like crap and you want to know why and as soon as possible.

I spose i have to take some of the blame but as a 19 year old living away from home i don't exactly know much about celiac disease and at 19 it can at times be daunting.

[tiffjake]

There are four to five specific blood tests that should be done. The problem is many doctors out there are from the old school and usually run just one. Mine did, but it indicated Celiac Disease and so I got my diagnosis. Many people are missed because the full Celiac Panel is not done. The lab will only run the exact test that a doctor orders. Please be sure and stay eating gluten until all your tests are done. You don't want to scew the results so that you get a false negative. Good Luck and let us know how you are doing.

I wanted to add something, but I just have to DITTO all of these points!

[mmaccartney]

While your doctor missed the ttg test, he/she did get 3 important ones.

The IgG test is more sensitive then the IgA, meaning there are less false positives and false negatives. However the IgG test is less specific, meaning Celiac is not the only cause of a positive IgG test.

With a neg IgA and a pos IgG, the next thing is to see if you are IgA deficient. The "Total Serum IgA" that your doc did shows a normal level of IgA, so you are not IgA deficient.

Traditionally the next steps would be to have your ttg levels checked...which your doc should have already done... and then have an EGD with biopsy.

Note that the ERG with biopsy is only a good test to "rule in" Celiac. This means that if the biopsy is positive, then you have celiac. If the biopsy is negative, it is a meaningless test as you could still have Celiac.

You're on a road where Celiac might be one of your desitinations, and from your bloodwork that is likely!

Let us know how it comes along!

[macdwp01]

While your doctor missed the ttg test, he/she did get 3 important ones.

The IgG test is more sensitive then the IgA, meaning there are less false positives and false negatives. However the IgG test is less specific, meaning Celiac is not the only cause of a positive IgG test.

With a neg IgA and a pos IgG, the next thing is to see if you are IgA deficient. The "Total Serum IgA" that your doc did shows a normal level of IgA, so you are not IgA deficient.

Traditionally the next steps would be to have your ttg levels checked...which your doc should have already done... and then have an EGD with biopsy.

Note that the ERG with biopsy is only a good test to "rule in" Celiac. This means that if the biopsy is positive, then you have celiac. If the biopsy is negative, it is a meaningless test as you could still have Celiac.

You're on a road where Celiac might be one of your desitinations, and from your bloodwork that is likely!

Let us know how it comes along!

Will do, thanks very much for the informative post.

[penguin]

My IgG was the only one elevated, and I was dx'ed by that and dietary response. My Dr. didn't feel the biopsy was necessary.

Positive dietary response is valid! Especially if there is a family history...

As far as the other conditions related to a high IgG, what are they? I can't find a listing anywhere, except maybe Chron's.