Enterolab Results- What Does This Mean?

[MiamiMom]

I got these results from Enterolab, and I am still confused. (I think this may be because I do not really want to accept the diagnosis.)

Fecal Antigliadin IgA 32 (Normal Range <10 Units)

Fecal Antitissue Transglutaminase IgA 18 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score <300 Units (Normal Range <300 Units)

Fecal anti-casein (cow's milk) IgA antibody 10 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allele 1 0201

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allele 2 0501

Serologic equivalent: HLA-DQ 2,1 (Subtype 2,5)

So I have DQ2, right? And the DQB1 data is telling me that I also have a gene for gluten sensitivity, right? So what does the DQB1 allele information mean? And does my DQ2 subtype tell me anything useful?

I have had an endoscopy, which was normal. So based on these results and the endoscopy, although I am not currently a celiac, I am reacting to gluten and am at high risk of becoming one in the future. Is that right?

Thanks for any input.

Oh, I also have a quick question about my family. My daughter has celiac, with DQ2 and DQ8. My son has neither gene (per Prometheus labs), but seems to have mild gastro problems. Given my results, would you bother having him tested by Enterolab as well?

Wow, it is so nice to be able to ask these things....

[mftnchn]

So do you have any symptoms? Yes, these results show gluten sensitivity, and DQ2 is a clear celiac gene. All but DQ4 are related to some degree to celiac and or gluten sensitivity, but DQ2 is the most clearly celiac gene.

Just understand that the endoscopy (did you have a biopsy too?) can be false negative. The intestine often is affected in patches, so they can miss the right spot easily.

If you have symptoms and your daughter is celiac, I would assume that you could also likely have it and would give it a clear dietary trial. Probably you would be wise to give it several months trial, but you might know one way or another in a shorter period of time.

Your test results on the DNA have three lines, the third that says the serologic equivalent is the results stated in a different format. So the first two lines show what your two genes are, and the third line restates that. They have changed the way of reporting the genes, and Enterolab reports it in both formats.

Hope that helps, probably someone else will chime in here.

[EBsMom]

Oh, I also have a quick question about my family. My daughter has celiac, with DQ2 and DQ8. My son has neither gene (per Prometheus labs), but seems to have mild gastro problems. Given my results, would you bother having him tested by Enterolab as well?

/quote]

Neither of my children has a celiac gene....both have "double gluten sensitivity genes", according to Enterolab. My dd had very pronounced celiac disease symptoms (getting sicker by the day) and responded immediately to a gluten-free diet. My ds never had gastro symptoms, but had a plethora of neuro symptoms. We had him tested by Enterolab and he was reacting to gluten, so he went gluten-free and is now doing very well! So, IMHO, while it's interesting to know what your genes are, it doesn't tell a complete story. Symptoms and dietary response are a lot more "telling."

I had myself tested as well....and was quite surprised, as you are, to find my results positive for gluten/casein sensitivity. I've cut both from my diet, and feel very good. When I get glutened (accidentally) I get stomach pains, head fog, irritability and C. So....I guess the moral is "You never know." I never had any big sypmtoms before....only mild gastro stuff. My ds never had any gastro stuff at all. We're both thriving on a gluten-free diet, though. The Enterolab results helped to point us in the right direction.

Rhonda

[MiamiMom]

Thanks for the reply- that did help.

Yes, I suppose I have symptoms. My gastro symptoms seem to come and go thoughout the year (a rough month, then smooth sailing, then another bad patch with much time spent in the bathroom). But it has never been consistent, and I accepted it as normal for a long time. Plus, my gastro checked me from stem to stern and declared me celiac-free, and my antigen bloodwork always came back negative. So I had written it off as a possibility.

It was actually joint pain, memory loss, an enlarged thyroid and unexplained episodes of chronic fatigue that lead me to Enterolab. I'm only 40, and I felt like I was falling apart. My primary care doctor sent me for a lupus workup, but there was nothing there. So I thought that maybe we had missed something, and ended up here.

So... I guess I do have some definite symptoms. I'm just starting to relate them to celiac disease.

I knew that logically, if my dd has both DQ2 and DQ8, one of those celiac genes had to come from me-- but I just didn't think the problem had "kicked in" yet. Denial is amazing, isn't it?

[MiamiMom]

Thanks, Rhonda.

When people speak of neurological problems, what do they mean? My son gets headaches, but what concerns me most are difficulties regulating his emotions and symptoms of OCD. He's only 7, so there's some leeway there, but it seems that the OCD overwhelms him at times.

Have you ever heard of that in relation to a gluten reaction? Or when people speak of neurological issues are they meaning vision problems, coordination, etc.

I've started him on the gluten-free diet and I think I see improvement, but it is too soon to be sure. After reading your post, I ordered the Enterolab test for him, too. So maybe the answer will be there. Thanks.

[EBsMom]

When people speak of neurological problems, what do they mean?

I *think* there are a host of neuro symptoms that people refer to: ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, headaches, fatigue, head "fog", irritability, rage. I'm sure I'm leaving something out, but I've seen posts regarding all of these things right here in this forum. Lately, it seems to me that I'm hearing more and more about the link between gluten and autism, and gluten and ADHD. I also just read something about a link between celiac and schizophrenia. I think there must be a whole gamut of neuro manifestations of gluten intolerance.

In my dh's case, he had an intermittent "fog" in his brain. He's 12 now, and I started trying to figure it out when he was your ds's age. Neither his teachers nor a couple of educational psych's could figure out why he was, at times, so foggy and unfocused. He's a very bright kid and he compensated as best he could....but it wasn't until we eliminated gluten that the fog lifted. He realizes it himself, and the change is visible to those around him.

Good luck with your ds!!!

Rhonda

[ravenwoodglass]

Thanks, Rhonda.

When people speak of neurological problems, what do they mean? My son gets headaches, but what concerns me most are difficulties regulating his emotions and symptoms of OCD. He's only 7, so there's some leeway there, but it seems that the OCD overwhelms him at times.

Have you ever heard of that in relation to a gluten reaction? Or when people speak of neurological issues are they meaning vision problems, coordination, etc.

I've started him on the gluten-free diet and I think I see improvement, but it is too soon to be sure. After reading your post, I ordered the Enterolab test for him, too. So maybe the answer will be there. Thanks.

My DS sounds a lot like your son. He still has some real issues when glutened but when not under a gluten fog he is a calm and happy person. His OCD issues disappeared completely after about 6 months gluten free, his depression lifted within a month and his autistic spectrum problems lessened and now after 5 years are almost nonexistant. My DS was not diagnosed until he was 19, I would give anything for him to have been diagnosed at 7. His middle school and high school years would have been so different.

It does take a while and especially in young ones who are in school and in situations where 'cheating' on the diet are tempting things can be touch and go for a bit. Hang in there, if the diet helps it can almost seem miraculous at times.

[mftnchn]

When people speak of neurological problems, what do they mean? My son gets headaches, but what concerns me most are difficulties regulating his emotions and symptoms of OCD. He's only 7, so there's some leeway there, but it seems that the OCD overwhelms him at times.

Have you ever heard of that in relation to a gluten reaction? Or when people speak of neurological issues are they meaning vision problems, coordination, etc.

There was a recent thread on the forum where a number of parents mentioned OCD in young children and resolution with the diet. You might do a search here.