Question About Iga

[jat237]

I'm new to this forum -- just received results from my doctor today that he says could indicate Celiac. But the nurse who called could provide precious little info. Here's what she said:

tissue transglutimasine (?) antibody: 41 (should be less than 20)

immunoglobulin A: 42 (normal is 68-378)

So, my tTG is positive (but I don't know if it's extreme or not), and my IgA is below normal.

By the way, my symptoms have been back pains (that seem to move around), stomach pains and bloating.

Are either of these tests definitive? I'm having trouble finding details on the web.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Jeff

[happygirl]

The IgA test isn't a test for Celiac, its a test to see if you produce IgA antibodies. IgA antibodies make up a good chunk of Celiac testing (tTG IgA, EMA IgA, AGA IgA, etc).

tTG is one of the best (although not perfect) tests for Celiac. The tTG IgA and total IgA are often used as a screening test for Celiac.

It appears that your tTG test is very suggestive of Celiac, especially in conjunction with your symptoms.

The next step is to have an appointment with your doctor. They will probably discuss an endoscopy with biopsies.

www.celiacdiseasecenter.columbia.edu and www.celiacdisease.net have good info on testing.

[leadmeastray88]

I agree with happygirl.

The tTG antibodies are very specific to Celiac, so you should definitely go for the biopsy to confirm.

No matter what the results are, you should try a strict gluten free diet for a few months and see if your symptoms improve. Don't go gluten free until after the biopsy though! Otherwise you may get a false negative. Your symptoms definitely sound suggestive.

Good luck!

[jat237]

Thanks for the helpful notes (although I was really hoping someone would say, "Nah... not celiac"). I LOVE my whole grains. I've eaten Wheaties most mornings my whole life. In fact, I'm wondering whether a heavy wheat diet could contribute to Celiac. Is it possible I've eaten so much that my body has just maxed out?

I think I'll try to get into a specialist tomorrow.

[jat237]

OK, I'm starting to get the hang of this. But can someone tell me what it means if my IgA is low (42, when it's supposed to be 80). Is this consistent with Celiac?

Or does the fact that it's low make it all the more surprising that I got a positive on the tTG?

Or is it consistent with some other disease entirely (e.g., I was on Lamisil for six months, and it could harm liver -- maybe these screwy results come from that?

Thanks in advance for any insights!

Jef

[happygirl]

I merged your two threads together since they are related. See my above answer about IgA. Its not a Celiac test. Its a measure to make sure the other tests don't give you false negatives on the Celiac tests.

You are apparently not IgA deficient as you were able to test positive on the tTG IgA (a Celiac test for antibodies) test.

"Of note, selective IgA deficiency can complicate the diagnosis of one such condition, celiac disease, as the deficiency masks the high levels of certain IgA antibodies usually seen in celiac disease." from wiki

[aikiducky]

I suppose if you would make more IgA antibodies your Ttg would be even higher. In any case, the positive result is reason enough to investigate celiac further. Do you already have an appointment with a gastro doc?

Pauliina