Results From Bloodwork And Dna Testing - Questions

[nasalady]

My test results from Prometheus are in, and I have some questions. I would be very grateful if some of the experts can answer them. Please bear with me as I provide some background first.

Here are the Prometheus celiac panel results:

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AGA IgG: Result=1.1 U/ml; Reference Range <10.0 U/ml

AGA IgA: Result=1.2 U/ml; Reference Range <5.0 U/ml

TTG IgA: Result=0.4 U/ml; Reference Range <4.0 U/ml

EMA IgA: Result=negative

Total IgA: Result=191 mg/dl; Reference Range = 44-441 mg/dl

Alleles Detected: HLA allelic variants associated with celiac disease detected --> DQ8 heterozygous

Summary Interpretation: Results do not exclude a diagnosis of celiac disease

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My doctor said that since I'm currently on high dosages of prednisone and Imuran, he's not surprised that the bloodwork is negative.

Since I apparently have celiac genes, he now wants to do both a colonoscopy and an endoscopy....on November 21st. Which means that I must stay on gluten until then!

I'm on those immunosuppressant meds (prednisone and Imuran) because I have autoimmune hepatitis. I also have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and fibromyalgia so severe I'm now in a wheelchair. I've had a number of weird neurological symptoms for some time now, including peripheral neuropathy and ataxia, plus visual disturbances. I had an MRI recently which virtually ruled out MS...but it showed that my brain has atrophied more than it should have for my age (I'm 52).

According to a medical article I downloaded recently (Hadjivassiliou, Grunewald and Davies-Jones 2002, J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, "Gluten sensitivity as a neurological illness", 2002), neurological symptoms and even brain atrophy may be associated with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

I suspect that I'm at least gluten-sensitive, even if it turns out that I don't have celiac disease, because when I went off gluten I felt better, and when I went back on gluten, my mouth broke out in sores and I felt terrible. All of my "IBS" symptoms came back with a vengeance.

OK, so there are the facts as I know them.....

Now for the questions:

1. If the prednisone and Imuran have suppressed my autoimmune diseases as they are SUPPOSED to, why should the doctor expect any damaged villi to show up in my intestines during a biopsy?

2. Has anyone else had an MRI that showed brain atrophy? Has that reversed itself since you've been gluten-free?

Thanks in advance for your help....

JoAnn

[nasalady]

Now for the questions:

1. If the prednisone and Imuran have suppressed my autoimmune diseases as they are SUPPOSED to, why should the doctor expect any damaged villi to show up in my intestines during a biopsy?

2. Has anyone else had an MRI that showed brain atrophy? Has that reversed itself since you've been gluten-free?

Thanks in advance for your help....

JoAnn

Note: I'm using the term "brain atrophy", but maybe that's an exaggeration. I looked again at the MRI report and the term they use is "mild diffuse volume loss". I guess I thought that "volume loss" = brain shrinkage = atrophy. I don't know if these phrases are actually equivalent.

[sick-of-being-sick]

1. If the prednisone and Imuran have suppressed my autoimmune diseases as they are SUPPOSED to, why should the doctor expect any damaged villi to show up in my intestines during a biopsy?

2. Has anyone else had an MRI that showed brain atrophy? Has that reversed itself since you've been gluten-free?

Thanks in advance for your help....

JoAnn

Hi,

I just asked almost the exact same question as your question #1 about prednisone and azathioprine (Imuran) and got several replies. Check out the topic if you haven't done so already. It seems that prednisone may induce some healing of the villi and make it harder to diagnose celiac disease. I too will be having a biopsy in the near future. Good luck with yours!

Unfortunately I don't know anything at all about question #2.

Take care,

rissa