Understanding Followup Test Results

[bgraham]

My 19 yr old daughter, Molly, has been gluten-free (though my guess is imperfectly) for 9 months. She was/is asymptomatic, but both myself and my other daughter had symptoms, were diagnosed and are on gluten-free diets. Molly was tested (antibodies and genetic markers) and biopsied and the Dr felt she has celiac (though I think all the results were not conclusive). She clearly *may* have the disease.

Her GP did blood work recently as part of her annual physical.

Results from BN Labcorp Burlington, NC

Antigliadin Abs, IgA: negative

Antigliadin Abs, IgG: 32 H (Mod to high pos)

t_Transglutinase (tTG) IgA: negative

Could I get help interpretting those results, specifically in term of current gluten in her diet.

Thanks,

Brenda

[tarnalberry]

What were the results of her initial bloodwork? It's VERY difficult to interpret celiac panels when the patient's diet has primarily been gluten free. The body only makes antibodies to what has been presented to it, and after 9 months of being gluten-free, even if she had high levels across the board, you could well expect to see these numbers. The fact that her anti-gliandin IgG is still positive suggests that she needs to work even more closely at getting the rest of the gluten, that could be in her diet, out.

Why do you suspect that the original bloodwork and biopsy were inconclusive?

Don't forget that a lot of those with gluten-intolerance are either only mildly symptomatic (like me - it never stopped me from going anywhere or particularly doing anything) or asymptomatic. Has she had improvement in non-GI symptoms throughout her body, even if it's just feeling a bit more clear-headed or less tired?

[jaycee30]

Brenda,

I'm very new at this, but my blood workup showed almost exactly the same results as your daughter's (see my signature). I am fortunate to have an allergist that also has these same " inconclusive" results as well as a negative biopsy, so he is very supportive.

Due to an egg allergy, I have been almost gluten-free for at least a year. Basically, any gluten-free I got was purely incidental. My blood test results still showed 36.1 AGA IGG, which is the most "reactive" antibody (drops when you stop and rises when you injest) per my doc. So, with a little bit of gluten in your diet occasionally, he says your other readings can stay negative while that is positive. With that reading in the positive, my allergist says that I am gluten intolerant....that test is very specific to celiac disease. If it is positive, it has about a 97% chance of being correct.

The big test for me was the gluten-free diet...completely and utterly gluten-free for about 2 weeks and its like a different life. I was gluten-free for a week and then had a couple of beers at a party and spent 4 days with gas, constipation, and pain. Now, I'm feeling good again and will stay gluten-free.

Hope this helps....just wanted to post to you when I saw the test results that were so close to mine.

Jen

[Guest gillian502]

I've read and been told that Igg antibodies are not specific for celiac disease, and they could be elevated for any number of reasons. The IgA and Ttg are the ones to worry about in regards to celiac disease, at least from what I've read and heard. My 2 neices, ages 3 and 7, both had high Igg levels but all the rest were totally normal. The specialist told us that was not to be worried about at all, and no follow up tests or treatments were required. Of course, they were not symptomatic or having any problems, either, they were only tested because I have celiac disease and felt they should be checked.

[tarnalberry]

But what else can elevated IgG represent? I've "heard" the same thing, but have still not seen one single thing other than celiac that elevated anti-gliandin and anti-reticulin IgG can represent. I'd really like to find the follow up to that one! ;-)

[Guest gillian502]

Me too...I always forget the other medical reasons for the high Igg. I read all about them in a medical encyclopedia several months ago and they left my brain as quickly as they went in! If I go back and re-read it, I'll post it here.