Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Ttg Iga < 3, Gliadin Iga = 19, What Does It Mean?

wannabeadiva

Recommended Posts

wannabeadiva Newbie
wannabeadiva
Posted

Posting this here too, I think I mistakenly put it in the "doctors" forum...

I have been severely anemic recently and struggling with several health issues. One of the tests my doctor recently did was a "celiac disease panel". On it, it says that the TTG/IGA is < 3 (which it says is negative on the test; normal is 5-8, and positive is > 8), and the Gliadin IGA is 19 (normal is 11-17).

My doctor wasn't really able to explain this to my satisfaction. They put me on iron to deal with the anemia, and he told me that this test indicates I might have a sensitivity to gluten, and suggested I go on a gluten-free diet to see if that helped with the anemia and to see if it made me feel better.

So am I right in thinking that because the ttg/iga is low that DOESN'T mean I have Celiac's then? Is that right, or can anyone suggest what this might mean, or recommend where you would go from here? I have a follow-up appt with the doctor who did these tests in a month, but until then I am very confused.

Thanks for any enlightenment you can offer.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

This might be of interest to you:

Open Original Shared Link

Selective IgA deficiency (SIgA deficiency)

SIgA deficiency occurs 10 to 15 times more commonly among people with celiac disease compared to the general population [19]. Patients with SIgA deficiency will lack IgA antibodies including endomysial antibody, tTG and IgA AGA. To detect celiac disease in patients with SIgA deficiency an IgG antibody, typically IgG AGA, needs to be performed together with total IgA level. Alternatively, one may screen with IgG anti- EMA or IgG anti-tTG, though these are not widely available. Typically the patient with celiac disease and SIgA deficiency will have a positive IgG AGA and absent total IgA level. This combination should prompt a biopsy, whereas an isolated positive IgG AGA would usually not.

wannabeadiva Newbie
wannabeadiva
Posted
  • Author

I'm sorry I'm sure I sound like a ninny but I am not familiar with any of this technical jargon yet, so no, I'm not really sure what this means either. Is what the article referring to the same as the Gliadin IGA on my test, which had a value of 19? And if so, is it saying there is a 90% chance then that I DO have Celiac's, even though it's only slightly over the norm? Thanks for helping...

Mother of Jibril Enthusiast
Mother of Jibril
Posted

Here's my understanding...

You had a positive test for antigliaden and a negative test for tissue transglutaminase (ttg). The positive test shows that you're definitely intolerant to gluten (antigliaden is an antibody your immune system is producing in response to gluten). Ttg is more specific for celiac disease, but a negative test doesn't necessarily mean you're safe (false negatives are not uncommon). At this point, you have a choice between three options:

1) Ignore the tests and keep eating gluten (not what I would choose ;))

2) Go on a gluten-free diet for the rest of your life

3) Make an appointment with a gastroenterologist to have an endoscopy and see how much damage (if any) there is to your GI system... then choose #1 or #2

Good luck and good health! :)

Foxfire62 Newbie
Foxfire62
Posted

Only a biopsy can confirm that you are negative for celiac disease. And for that, you have to continue to consume gluten.

But if you're gluten-intolerant, you needn't do a biopsy and can just experience with a gluten-free diet.

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

The Serology Panel and the Endoscopy/biopsy are not at accurate as we would like at this time, but both can rule Celiac Disease "in", but a negative result cannot rule it "out". Biopsies can often miss effected areas of the small intestine.

Unless you intend to pursue other testing for Celiac, you might want to try the diet and see if you have a positive dietary response, which is a good indicator that gluten is an issue at some level.

wannabeadiva Newbie
wannabeadiva
Posted
  • Author

Thanks everyone, this was all extremely helpful.

I have started eating gluten free already, so I think I will continue down that path at least until I have my next tests done in a month - that should tell if I'm still anemic, etc. I have to admit the thought of just eating gluten-free rather than getting the scope done has crossed my mind just because I'm not excited about that prospect. :-) But I think I will find a good GI doctor and maybe discuss this with him as well.

Thanks for all the help! Good health to you all as well.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

Once you are gluten free for some time, there is no test that can diagnose you for Celiac. A composite of indicators, blood test, endoscopy, positive dietary response or gene testing, can lead you to a conclusion, but a diagnosis cannot be obtained conclusively. On the other hand, many people here are self diagnosed and they feel quite comfortable with that.

If you have had a history of digestive issues, an endo exams may not be a bad thing to rule out other, more serious issues, if for nothing else, but a base test. The exam is nothing to worry about. They put you to sleep, you wake up and it's over.

dadoffiveboys Rookie
dadoffiveboys
Posted
Thanks everyone, this was all extremely helpful.

I have started eating gluten free already, so I think I will continue down that path at least until I have my next tests done in a month - that should tell if I'm still anemic, etc. I have to admit the thought of just eating gluten-free rather than getting the scope done has crossed my mind just because I'm not excited about that prospect. :-) But I think I will find a good GI doctor and maybe discuss this with him as well.

Thanks for all the help! Good health to you all as well.

I had the same reaction you did to the blood tests - only positive to Anti-Gliadin IGA. Every other test and Endoscopy negative. I tested positive for the DQ8 celiac gene and have been on a gluten-free diet for >2 years and feel great! If I eat gluten now though I get a typical 'celiac' reaction - abdominal pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea.

#2 (gluten-free diet) is the best choice and see how you feel. If you feel better I wouldn't go back.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,353
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    ace14219
    Newest Member
    ace14219
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Lkg5
      Unexpected gluten exposure risk from cultivated mushrooms

      By Lkg5 · Posted

      Thank’s for addressing the issue of mushrooms.  I was under the impression that only wild mushrooms were gluten-free.  Have been avoiding cultivated mushrooms for years. Also, the issue of smoked food was informative.  In France last year, where there is hardly any prepared take-out food that is gluten-free, I tried smoked chicken.  Major mistake!
    • catnapt
      results from 13 day gluten challenge - does this mean I can't have celiac?

      By catnapt · Posted

      my IGG is 815 IGA 203  but tTG-Iga is   <0.4!!!!!!!!!!!!!   oh my god- 13 days of agony and the test is negative?  I don't even know what to do next. There zero doubt in my mind that I have an issue with wheat and probably more so with gluten as symptoms are dramatically worse the more gluten a product has   I am going to write up the history of my issues for the past few years and start a food/symptom diary to bring with me to the GI doctor in March.   I googled like crazy to try to find out what other things might cause these symptoms and the only thing that truly fits besides celiac is NCGS   but I guess there are some other things I maybe should be tested for ...? like SIBO?   I will continue to eliminate any foods that cause me distress (as I have been doing for the past couple of years) and try to keep a record. Can anyone recommend an app or some form or something that would simplify this? I have a very full and busy life and taking the time to write out each symptom name in full would be tedious and time consuming- some sort of page with columns to check off would be ideal. I am not at all tech savvy so that's not something I can make myself ... I'm hoping there's some thing out there that I can just download and print out   do I give up on testing for celiac with such a low number? I am 70 yrs old I have been almost completely off gluten for the most part for about 2 yrs. I had a meal of vital wheat gluten vegan roast,  rolls and stuffing made from home baked bread and an apple pie- and had the worst pain and gas and bloating and odd rumblings in my gut etc - almost went to the ER it was so bad. I was thinking, since I'm spilling a lot of calcium in my urine, that perhaps this was a kidney stone (never had one before but there's always that first time, right?)    Saw my endo on Jan 20th and after hearing the story about the symptoms from eating that holiday meal, she suggested doing a gluten challenge. She said 2 weeks was fine- she said stopping it in the middle if symptoms got bad was fine- In the meantime I'd read that 2 weeks was not enough- called and argued with the nurse about this, but ultimately decided to stop the gluten on the 13th day and get the test done because I was in too much pain and almost suicidal and knew I could not continue.   so.............. that's where I am now I have had no bread since Sunday. I did have some rolled oats today and had some gas and bloating afterwards I did have some wheat germ in a smoothie on Tuesday and had a stomach ache later that night.   but overall I feel so much better! all the joint pain is gone! the nausea is gone. The stomach pain and gas and bloating are going away. Still a bit gassy but no more of that horrible odor. wow, that would clear a room if I was out in public!  I see a GI nurse March 4th  I hope she'll be able to help sort this out! can you think of what my next steps might be?
    • par18
      Is it gluten?

      By par18 · Posted

      Thanks for the reply. 
    • Scott Adams
      nothing has changed

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      What you’re describing is actually very common, and unfortunately the timing of the biopsy likely explains the confusion. Yes, it is absolutely possible for the small intestine to heal enough in three months on a strict gluten-free diet to produce a normal or near-normal biopsy, especially when damage was mild to begin with. In contrast, celiac antibodies can stay elevated for many months or even years after gluten removal, so persistently high antibody levels alongside the celiac genes and clear nutrient deficiencies strongly point to celiac disease, even if you don’t feel symptoms. Many people with celiac are asymptomatic but still develop iron and vitamin deficiencies and silent intestinal damage. The lack of immediate symptoms makes it harder emotionally, but it doesn’t mean gluten isn’t harming you. Most specialists would consider this a case of celiac disease with a false-negative biopsy due to early healing rather than “something else,” and staying consistently gluten-free is what protects you long-term—even when your body doesn’t protest right away.
    • Scott Adams
      Is it gluten?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Yes, I meant if you had celiac disease but went gluten-free before screening, your results would end up false-negative. As @trents mentioned, this can also happen when a total IGA test isn't done.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.