Diagnosis

[Live2BWell]

I actually was strictly gluten free for over a week when I had the tests done (I know, not reccomended, but it just happened that way.) Two of the four tests on my Celiac pannel came back elevated, despite being gluten free. My doctor said my results are indicative of Celiac (and I am officially gluten free now). However, I don't understand what the tests themselves, are, so maybe you guys can help. I have had positive response to being gluten free.

Anyway, my Gliadin IgA was elevated and my Gliadin IgG was also elevated. Both my TTG IgA and TTG IgG were within range. I am diagnosed with Hashimotos, and there is Celiac in my extended family (I think, I'm not positive about that though.)

Even though I have a diagnosis, I don't understand what those tests measure.

[ShayFL]

You are testing positive in antibodies to Gliadin which is a glycoprotein (a carbohydrate plus a protein) within gluten. This means your intestines are compromised allowing gluten into your bloodstream (it shouldnt be there!!) and your body is "attacking" it (that is why there are all of those antibodies). The gliadin/gluten attaches to all sorts of sites like your thyroid. So when the immune system "attacks" the gliadin/gluten.....the thyroid gets damaged too. Once the body realizes it is attacking the thryoid, it sends in more "troops" so you get antibodies to your thyroid. (Hashimotos).

You need to be 100% gluten free for life!

Welcome to the club.

[Live2BWell]

Thanks for the info, ShayFL .. So what are the TTG tests? And why would those come out negative and the others come out positive?

[happygirl]

I can't respond in particular to your situation, but in general - none of the tests are 100% perfect, which is why there is a panel for the bloodwork. Open Original Shared Link You can also test completely negative and still have Celiac.

Are you having a biopsy for Celiac?

[veggienft]

Thanks for the info, ShayFL .. So what are the TTG tests? And why would those come out negative and the others come out positive?

In Shay's absence, I'm gonna try this. The lead effect of intestinal celiac is the production of gut tissue transglutaminase (ttg) enzyme. It coats the intestinal lining to identify it as having been compromised by gliadin, the protein in wheat gluten. That's because the gut immune system thinks gliadin is an attacking antigen .......like a virus or a bacteria.

The small intestine is lined with mucous membrane. Immunoglobin A (IgA) is the body's chosen antibody for mucous membranes. The gut immune system orders up gliadin-specific IgA antibodies to attach to the compromised gut lining and destroy its surface tissue ......including its food-absorbing structure, called the villi.

But celiacs have another reaction. The gut's immune system recognizes that it can't handle the flood of gliadin, so it releases a "cytokine" protein called zonulin. Zonulin makes the small intestine lining permeable. That dumps the contents of the stomach into the bloodstream for the blood's immune system to handle.

The blood's immune system reacts in a similar way. It releases ttg which coats all circulatory tissue it identifies as compromised by gliadin. But the blood's ttg is designed to attract Immunoglobin G (IgG). IgG is the body's chosen antibody for operating in the blood. The blood immune system orders up gliadin-specific IgG antibodies. The IgG antibodies attack the compromised circulatory tissue coated with blood ttg.

You probably have high IgA and IgG levels, but low corresponding ttg levels, because you were gluten-free the week before the test. Your body stopped seeing gliadin, and stopped making ttg and antibodies. The ttg got mostly reabsorbed, but antibodies don't go away that fast. IgA can take up to two weeks to clear the body. IgG can take months to clear the body.

So your antibody levels were still elevated.

Edit: I'm still a little fuzzy on the exact IgA and IgG responses. What I described is anti-ttg antibodies. There are also direct anti-gliadin antibodies, and they take similar amounts of time to clear the body.

..

[Live2BWell]

veggienft, thanks for the explination! Wow, you guys understand this very well! To me, it sounds like a foreign language, but you helped translate, so thanks

happygirl, Hi Happygirl... I had four biopsies during a Colonoscopy, that came back with several abnormalities but nothing conclusive one way or another. I have not had an endoscopy, and as of now I don't know if I'm going to have one or not. I have not heard from my doctor since receiving the tests results (via mail), but I also am torn on weather I want to have it (if he suggests it.) I do have several issues other than the celiac that could benefit from an endoscopy, though. So... I'm just kind of sitting on it for now (I am gluten free though.)