Lab Work

[familyfirst]

HI! I posted yesterday about my DS, age 10, lab work. I understand that all labs have different ranges and standards, but does anyone know where I can go to compare my son's results with the standards. Also, on his celiac panel he had 2 definate above range items out of the 6. What consitutes a "true" celiac diagnosis. I spoke to the nurse, not the dr. and didn't ask much over the phone. I was going to wait until my DS next visit. The GI is saying he doesn't have celiac, but maybe a food allergy. We get blood work done next week for a food allergy profile. Any insights?

Thanks!

[momandgirls]

If you know the lab that performed the blood test (not where the blood was drawn but the lab that actually read the blood), you might be able to go the lab website and the ranges may be listed. We've had blood work done at various labs and the ranges are different. Maybe you can call the doctor and have him/her fax or send you the results? The normal ranges are usually listed on the results paperwork.

[familyfirst]

If you know the lab that performed the blood test (not where the blood was drawn but the lab that actually read the blood), you might be able to go the lab website and the ranges may be listed. We've had blood work done at various labs and the ranges are different. Maybe you can call the doctor and have him/her fax or send you the results? The normal ranges are usually listed on the results paperwork.

It was LabCorp. I have the results and there are 2 highs and the other 4 neg. I was just wondering if you have to have all 6 positive to be celiac.

I guess I'll just ask the dr.

Thanks!

[chrissy]

what two scores were high and what scores were low?

[ravenwoodglass]

Yes you can be celiac without all of them being positive. In fact you can be a full blown celiac near death and still have blood tests that come back negative. Have you tried him on the diet?

[familyfirst]

what two scores were high and what scores were low?

The Panel looked like this:

tTG IgG <6 Range: 0-5

tTG IgA <4 Range: 0-3

Immunoglobulin A, Serum Negative

Antigliadin Abs, IgG 53 Range: 0-9

antilgladin Abs, IgA 5 Range: 0-4

The two that are considered high by the pedi. was the last 2.

Thanks!

[familyfirst]

Yes you can be celiac without all of them being positive. In fact you can be a full blown celiac near death and still have blood tests that come back negative. Have you tried him on the diet?

I haven't tried him on the diet as of yet. They are sending him for a food allergy profile next week, then if those results(which only test some common allergies) come back neg. Then they will send us to an allergist for a more detailed work.

Ravenwoodglass, I think you were the one that mentioned caesin(sp?) in my other post. Thanks for that info. I will definately ask for that test. I researched some on that and he has all of the symptoms including itchy skin and asthma. Again, thanks! That's why I love this board--you get "armed" with information before you face the "all-knowing" drs. HA! HA! to the all-knowing!

[ravenwoodglass]

The Panel looked like this:

tTG IgG <6 Range: 0-5

tTG IgA <4 Range: 0-3

Immunoglobulin A, Serum Negative

Antigliadin Abs, IgG 53 Range: 0-9

antilgladin Abs, IgA 5 Range: 0-4

The two that are considered high by the pedi. was the last 2.

Thanks!

It actually appears that 4 of his tests (the ones I made bold) were positive, although of course I could be reading the results and scale on these wrong. The tTg are quite definative for celiac, even with the positive being on the low side. Be aware some doctors will want the person to get sicker so that positive will be a stronger positive but a positive IMHO is a positive.

[JodiC]

Yes you can be celiac without all of them being positive. In fact you can be a full blown celiac near death and still have blood tests that come back negative. Have you tried him on the diet?

I had posted elsewhere and was told that bloodwork is the only thing you have to do to diagnose celiac and the endoscopy was usless. How then can you have full blown Celiac with negative bloodwork? How do they tell? Just curious as there seems to be conflicting advice.

[ravenwoodglass]

I had posted elsewhere and was told that bloodwork is the only thing you have to do to diagnose celiac and the endoscopy was usless. How then can you have full blown Celiac with negative bloodwork? How do they tell? Just curious as there seems to be conflicting advice.

There is actually a recent article that is on this sites main page. Up to 20% of us will not show up in blood work. I was finally diagnosed by an allergist who guided me through a complete elimination diet. I had negative blood work for years but no doctor had ever suggested or even told me what the diet was. After the allergist, an MD, diagnosed me through elimination and challenge I was sent to a GI for confirmation. He had me do another gluten challenge that almost killed me and I was finally officially diagnosed. They then tested my children and they both showed up on blood work as did my husband. The one who was less severely impacted also had an endo. Unfortunately it was too late to undo a lot of the damage.

[nora-n]

The Ttg tests were negative (and i think they ought to have given tha ranges)

and the antigliadin were positive.

Actually, they are not considered very very specific for celiac, but Dr. Ford in Nz has a whole website about the antigliadin tests as he and many others have found out that they do mean something.

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My daugher was vey symptomatic for years, yet she had negative tests and got well off gluten. Biopsy was negative too, but she got an official diagnosis. I have not gotten and official diagnosis, same problems but not so ill. There are always some that will not have positive blod tests.

nora