What Causes The Antigliadin Antibody (igg) To Be Elevated?

[High-Tech Mom]

Need insight on my test results. The only elevated blood test was the Antigliadin Antibody (IGG). The others, including Antigliadin Antibody (IGA) and TTG Antibody (IGG and IGA) are negative, and the Immunoglobuin A was normal. Genetic test reports DQ5 and DQ7.

From what I've read, the Antigliadin Antibody (IGG) is one of the least specific/sensitive tests for celiac, and can indicate other conditions. Does anyone know what "other" conditions this result might indicate?

[jcc]

Need insight on my test results. The only elevated blood test was the Antigliadin Antibody (IGG). The others, including Antigliadin Antibody (IGA) and TTG Antibody (IGG and IGA) are negative, and the Immunoglobuin A was normal. Genetic test reports DQ5 and DQ7.

From what I've read, the Antigliadin Antibody (IGG) is one of the least specific/sensitive tests for celiac, and can indicate other conditions. Does anyone know what "other" conditions this result might indicate?

It's a really good question.

It can be elevated in people with MS, rheumatoid arthritis, gluten related neurologic disease, psoriasis, Sjogrens, SLE, thyroid disease, Down Syndrome, schizophrenia and more. And they say in 10-15% of 'normals' (although I have to question the definition for normal, because even those with biopsy proven celiac disease can by asymptomatic...asymptomatic doesn't mean the immune system isn't having some problems.) Interestingly, there are anecdotal reports (and a few medical journal reports) of some with these same conditions improving on a gluten free diet (sometimes in the absence of celiac disease), and most of these conditions (all?) have an increased association with Celiac Disease.

I've always meant to gather all the data together on those meaningless IgG antigliadin antibodies and the 'other conditions' they are seen in. For the record...I don't personally believe they are meaningless. An isolated positive antigliadin IgG was the only clue we had to my daughters gluten sensitivity and she responded remarkably to the diet (symptoms were GI, neurological, skin). She does not have celiac disease (villous atrophy or the 'right' genes).

In isolation, the antigliadin antibodies are a weaker indicator than some of the other antibody tests that they would find damage on biopsy, but it should be enough to warrant a biopsy if you want one. I have known several who had only a positive antigliadin IgG who had a positive biopsy. If you are symptomatic, you might want to try a dietary trial (AFTER, not before, a biopsy, if you have one) and even if the biopsy is negative.

Cara

[jcc]

Found this:

Antigliadin antibodies (AGA) mark celiac disease, but AGA are also encountered in IgA-nephritis, psoriasis, sickle-cell anemia, hepatic disorders, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune thyroidism and in persons who occupationally contact great amounts of wheat. AGA IgA and/or IgG were registered in 19 of 60 subjects (51 adults and 9 children) with various immunomediated diseases without symptoms of celiac disease: in 4 cases of chronic active hepatitis, in 2 of 4 cases of chronic persistent hepatitis, in 4 of 16 cases of rheumatoid arthritis, in 3 of 19 cases of IgA-deficiency, in 1 of 8 cases of SLE, in 2 cases of postvaccine reaction, in all the single cases of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, focal scleroderma, macroglobulinemia. IgA only occurred in in 6 patients, IgG- in 6 patients, both IgA and IgG in 7 patients. The most pronounced positive reaction to AGA was recorded in 8-year-old girl with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The emergence of AGA in immunomediated diseases may be attributed to the response to food protein in pathological conditions and is often unrelated closely with celiac disease.

[Antigliadin antibodies in the absence of celiac disease] PMID: 9553358 1998

OK...I went looking today for those "other" conditions

http://forums.braintalk2.org/showthread.php?t=674

but IMO all of these "other conditions" are probably related to gluten sensitivity, with or without celiac disease. The research is just starting to look at gluten sensitivity "outside of celiac disease". Be thankful your doctor ran the antigliadin panel...because it may be the only clue you will get.

Cara

[Guest ~jules~]

My bloodwork came back with only the elevated IGG, the others were normal. So he did an endoscopy, and took some biopsies. It turned out that I have it.....

[penguin]

My IgG was elevated, but I didn't have a biopsy until 7 months later. The biopsies were normal, but I have an amazing dietary response.

[jenvan]

ALSO: IGGs are the slowest to rise and to fall in response to gluten and the removal of it from the diet...so if, for example, you are a recovering celiac, your IgA could be normal, but your IgG could still be elevated. It is usually the last to return to normal. My own first set of bloodwork post-gluten-free showed this very phenomenon. SO-how long have you been gluten-free? Depending on that, it may not relate to another condition....

[High-Tech Mom]

ALSO: IGGs are the slowest to rise and to fall in response to gluten and the removal of it from the diet...so if, for example, you are a recovering celiac, your IgA could be normal, but your IgG could still be elevated. It is usually the last to return to normal. My own first set of bloodwork post-gluten-free showed this very phenomenon. SO-how long have you been gluten-free? Depending on that, it may not relate to another condition....

At the time that the blood test was taken, I was not gluten-free, I didn't want to bombard everyone with all of the details, but...

My 3-year old and myself have very similar results:

- Only AGA IgG is elevated

- Negative AGA IgA, TTG IgA, TTG IgG

- Genetic Markers: DQ5 and DQ7

Our 5-year old is our "celiac" and has positive everything (AGA IgA, AGA IgG, TTG IgA, TTG IgG), and marker DQ8. My husband has negative everything (AGA IgA, AGA IgG, TTG IgA, TTG IgG) and marker DQ8. Maybe my husband is a latent celiac case?

It's clear that our 5-year old should be (and now is) gluten-free. What's not clear is what to make of my 3-year old's and my test results. My 3-year old has loose stools, which was written off as "toddler diarrhea" by a GI two years ago, and hasn't improved. A biopsy at this age would probably come back inconclusive. We're waiting on EnteroLab results in hopes that more data will help us pinpoint the problem. Other than the loose, inconsitant stools, my 3-year old is healthy.

I was curious about the "other" conditions related to elevated AGA IgG in case we were barking up the wrong tree investigating celiac for myself and 3-year old.

[Karib574]

This is super old. Wonder if high tech mom is still around here... Wondering what you found out? I'm in the same boat. 

[kareng]

1 hour ago, Karib574 said:

This is super old. Wonder if high tech mom is still around here... Wondering what you found out? I'm in the same boat. 

You can click on a person's picture to go to their profile.  It will tell you when they last signed  in to the forum.

 In this case, it looks like 2006

[Ennis-TX]

7 hours ago, kareng said:

You can click on a person's picture to go to their profile.  It will tell you when they last signed  in to the forum.

 In this case, it looks like 2006

According to this you where last on the site back in July 23rd, from the perspective your seeing it probably says sooner. I think this aspect of the site is broken.

 

9 hours ago, Karib574 said:

This is super old. Wonder if high tech mom is still around here... Wondering what you found out? I'm in the same boat. 

Some people have issues with the numbers never going down, it is one form of the disease refereed to as Refractory Celiac Disease. Of course their are other issues, perhaps something in the house is CCed or your reacting to something else (IE a soap, shampoo, lotion, working around airborne flour, drywall etc.). Removing all Oats (10% of celiacs react to these) and any processed foods and spices from your diet for awhile to see if you can bring them down might help.

[kareng]

3 hours ago, Ennis_TX said:

According to this you where last on the site back in July 23rd, from the perspective your seeing it probably says sooner. I think this aspect of the site is broken.

 

Some people have issues with the numbers never going down, it is one form of the disease refereed to as Refractory Celiac Disease. Of course their are other issues, perhaps something in the house is CCed or your reacting to something else (IE a soap, shampoo, lotion, working around airborne flour, drywall etc.). Removing all Oats (10% of celiacs react to these) and any processed foods and spices from your diet for awhile to see if you can bring them down might help.

It does work.  That was the last time I actually signed in.  But I think, when you see someone hasn't signed in in years, they probably haven't.