Just Had My Blood Test

[JerryK]

I think they are running anti-endomysial, the stickers said EMA....

The lab technician seemed to have no idea what test this was.

(freaking rubber band they put on my arm hurt way worse than the needle)

Do you guys think Kaiser knows what they are doing?

I think this is the test that most closely correlates with celiac disease, but I'm not sure. I also think

that Kaiser, to their credit actually is running one of the more expensive tests on me...

Thoughts???

[chrissy]

Ttg is the best test, but you also need a total IgA serum done.

[JerryK]

I'm pretty sure they are running EMA-IgA which is highly specific for celiac disease. They are probably running some other ones, but EMA was the only thing my rubbernecking could make out...

[JerryK]

I base my opinion on documentation like this:

The aim of this work was to establish the diagnostic and follow up value of IgA-class antiendomysium (IgA-EmA) and IgA-class antigliadin (IgA-AGA) antibodies in celiac disease. Correlation with the intestinal histology at the different stages of the disease was evaluated, as well as its therapeutic monitoring ability. Fifty six children, twenty seven girls and twenty nine boys, aged six months to twelve years old, were studied. Thirty nine celiac children were all different diagnostic stages of the disease. Seventeen children with malabsorption symptoms and with normal intestinal histology were used as controls. Sixty blood samples were obtained simultaneously with the small intestinal biopsy. IgA-AGA (ELISA method) and IgA-EmA (immunofluorescent test performed over lower third Rhesus monkey esophagus) were determined in every blood sample. In 34 serum samples from patients with total or subtotal villous atrophy, two were negative for IgA-AGA and only one was negative for IgA-EmA. In 26 samples from patients with normal intestinal histology, two were positive for IgA-AGA and four were positive for IgA-EmA. The results for IgA-EmA had sensitivity 97%, specificity 84.6%, positive predictive value 89.2% and negative predictive value 95%. In the case of IgA-AGA were: sensitivity 94.1% specificity 92.3%, positive predictive value 94.1%, negative predictive value 92.3%. IgA-AGA and IgA-EmA showed a high correlation with intestinal histology and are in combination powerful tools for the diagnosis and follow up of celiac patients. Besides, they provide a useful aid in the indication of a jejunal biopsy and in close monitoring of the dietary treatment compliance

[JerryK]

Also, I gotta admit...I'm really nervous about this now. If this comes out positive, there will be no

more denial.

I feel like I'm having a baby:)

[happygirl]

You want tTG and EMA, and then other pluses include Total Serum IgA, Antigliadin IgA and IgG

[Nancym]

Also, I gotta admit...I'm really nervous about this now. If this comes out positive, there will be no

more denial.

I feel like I'm having a baby:)

You've been gluten-free though right? What're you going to do if you're negative?

Ha! From my understanding having a baby hurts more than a tourniqette on the arm!

[jerseyangel]

Ha! From my understanding having a baby hurts more than a tourniqette on the arm!

You are right about that!

Good luck, Jerry--and try not to be nervous. I mean, you already know exactly how gluten affects you and how you feel so much better off of it.

A set of numbers won't change that.

[JerryK]

You've been gluten-free though right? What're you going to do if you're negative?

Ha! From my understanding having a baby hurts more than a tourniqette on the arm!

Well, I haven't been gluten-free for about a month. Even if it's negative I'm going to go gluten-free, I feel better.

[Lisa]

Well, I haven't been gluten-free for about a month. Even if it's negative I'm going to go gluten-free, I feel better.

APPLAUSE...coming from my house!

[JerryK]

Difficult to guess whether I'm going to test positive or not....

If I were a betting man, I wouldn't touch this one...I honestly don't know.

[rez]

I totally agree w/ Chrissy, you should have had the tTG. The EMA is very specific to Celiac, but not very sensitive. Meaning, if you're positive, it's definitely Celiac, but if negative there's a good chance it could be false negative. The sensitivity of the EMA is no where close to that of the tTG. The two main tests you should have had run are the tTG and the total IgA. You need to know if you are IgA deficient. If you are, the tTG and EMA won't mean anything. I would call your doc and have him add the tTG and total IgA.

[rez]

Go to the Chicago Celiac Research website for good accurate info. It also talks about the Celiac screen. Good luck!

[chocolatelover]

Jerry, you're such a good person to have on this board--I have learned a lot from you and the responses of others. Hopefully you will get the results before you leave for your cruise (lucky devil!). In any case, at least you are wise enough to know what makes you feel good!

Thanks for asking the questions about the blood test. I just got a copy of my "celiac panel" blood work, and all they did was IGA and TTG. I thought there was more to it than that? My numbers also don't seem to make any sense. Oh well...I'm still waiting for the biopsy results and I'm fairly certain that I'll be giving enterolab my business by this time next week.

Jerry, I wish you the best. I feel a bit of a kindrid spirit with you as I am going through much of the same as you--you just are able to write about it and I simply read most of the time.

cl

[jerseyangel]

Here is the Celiac Panel--they should run all of the tests

Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgA

Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgG

Anti-Endomysial (EMA) IgA

Anti-Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA

Total Serum IgA

[chocolatelover]

Do you know what the numbers are supposed to be?

[chrissy]

the EMA test is left up the the interpretation of the one running the test which can make it less accurate. the Ttg test is done differently so there is no room for human error. this is why it is a better test.

[rez]

the labs levels vary. they all have different ranges.

[rez]

Jerry, you're such a good person to have on this board--I have learned a lot from you and the responses of others. Hopefully you will get the results before you leave for your cruise (lucky devil!). In any case, at least you are wise enough to know what makes you feel good!

Thanks for asking the questions about the blood test. I just got a copy of my "celiac panel" blood work, and all they did was IGA and TTG. I thought there was more to it than that? My numbers also don't seem to make any sense. Oh well...I'm still waiting for the biopsy results and I'm fairly certain that I'll be giving enterolab my business by this time next week.

Jerry, I wish you the best. I feel a bit of a kindrid spirit with you as I am going through much of the same as you--you just are able to write about it and I simply read most of the time.

cl

was your tTG positive?

[chocolatelover]

No, but I had been off gluten for a while when they did the test. I'm one of those that has many symptoms but my bloodwork was negative. I have been diagnosed with lymphocytic colitis, which hasd been linked to celiac. It's also an autoimmune disease and they think that it's the same genes cause both disorders. Dr. Fine (Enterolab) feels that gluten sensitivity may be caused by the colitis, which results in negative blood tests because the blood tests are just not sensitive enough to pick it up if you are not a full-blown celiac. What I don't know is whether the gluten sensitivity would disappear once the colitis is treated. It's all very frustrating!

[JerryK]

Here is the Celiac Panel--they should run all of the tests

Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgA

Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgG

Anti-Endomysial (EMA) IgA

Anti-Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA

Total Serum IgA

Thanks, they may be running others besides the EMA, that's the one I picked up on. Wish I knew how long it was going to take!!

[JerryK]

Thanks, they may be running others besides the EMA, that's the one I picked up on. Wish I knew how long it was going to take!!

I will feel like an outcast if both my gene test and Celiac Panel come out negative

[chocolatelover]

Do you feel like this is consuming your life? I feel like every moment is spent thinking about the results, wishing they were faster, thinking about what can I eat that won't make me feel like sh$%, what DID I eat that made me feel like sh$%, trying to get answers to questions that no one knows, thinking about whether I should switch doctors, and on and on and on...

[jerseyangel]

I will feel like an outcast if both my gene test and Celiac Panel come out negative

Nah--you're already "one of the family"

No matter what the tests say, you're part of the gluten-free crowd. Kind of a dubious honor.....

[JerryK]

Do you feel like this is consuming your life? I feel like every moment is spent thinking about the results, wishing they were faster, thinking about what can I eat that won't make me feel like sh$%, what DID I eat that made me feel like sh$%, trying to get answers to questions that no one knows, thinking about whether I should switch doctors, and on and on and on...

Absolutely I can relate to that feeling. Especially when I was forcing myself to eat stuff that I know is

going to give me the runs or make me feel horrible. At some point you have to just let it go and do the best that you can do. I've done what I can do, I've had Enterolab testing, I have gene testing and a Celiac panel queued up. I've done due diligence....I now need to let it go and get on with life.

The Celiac diet is a pain in the a$$ to be honest, only because it isn't convenient. It doesn