Conflicting Blood Test Results.

[msharnoubi]

Hi everybody,

I have the following conflicting results from 2 different labs:

Lab 1:

IgA Quantitative 149 Ref. range: 70-400

Anti Gliadin IgG Negative Ref. range: Negative at serum dilution 1/40

Anti ttG IgA Negative 3 Ref. range: Negative<20 ### Weak Positive 20-30 ### Positive>30

Lab 2:

Anti-Gliadin IgA Positive 1/20 Ref. range: Negative

Anti Endomysial IgA Negative Ref. range: Negative

Anti ttG IgA <10 U Ref. range: Negative<20 U ### Weak positive 20-30 U ### Positive>30 U

Notes:

1- I'm not very confident in all the test results because as I've said in an earlier posts, celiac tests are rarely made in Egypt.

2- I think the most accurate test is ttG IgA of lab 2 because they told me they do it in Europe

As you can see, they appear to be all negative except the AG IgA.

Is it possible to have such conflicting results or did some lab do an error?

If it's possible to have such conflicting results, which test should I believe?

Please keep in mind that a previous trial in the past of the gluten free diet for about 7 weeks didn't make feel much better. In addition, the problems I have are not directly related time wise to eating gluten. That is I don't have this direct connection between eating gluten and then having the symptoms a couple of hours later.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Mohamed

[QueenOfPain]

Hello Mohamed,

I am by no means an expert on any of this. But, I do know that Celiac can be tricky to diagnose. My blood results were very similar to yours. The ONLY part of the Celiac tests that I tested positive for was the Anti Gliadin IGA--just like you. Everything else came back negative. I even had a biopsy, and my GI doctor stated that she was very confident I didn't have Celiac, because the villi showed no sign of damage. However, she did suggest that I wait a couple of months and take the blood test again. And once again, I tested positive for the Anti Gliadin IGA portion and nothing else. I then decided to go on the gluten-free diet just to see if it helped or not. It was very hard in the beginning. I went through gluten withdrawals, which made me feel even worse than I did when I was eating gluten. But, 3 months later I finally started feeling better and most of my symptoms began disappearing. I took the same blood test again. And guess what. The Anti Gliadin IGA came back negative after being gluten-free. Which means my body really was reacting to the gluten. You may want to just give the diet a try. I'm so glad I did. Good luck!

[tarnalberry]

The results aren't actually conflicting - the two labs ran different tests, according to what you have typed there. Between the five blood tests, the labs duplicated one test (tTg test) with the same (negative) result. It's not at all unusual to have some of the tests pop up positive, and some negative. That's why a whole panel of tests is run, as the results should be viewed together.

You've got one positive test (and it's unclear "how" positive, but that's not a real concern). With information like that, I'd say "yeah, I could definitely have celiac" and try the diet. The tests are, IMHO, somewhat inconclusive, but where the line between conclusive and inconclusive is, that is a very subjective thing.

[nora-n]

I had a negative biopsy and a negative blood test and a negative gene test, yet I am confident it is celiac or gluten sensitivity.

My daughter is a diagnosed celiac, and had a dramatic improvement off gluten.

celiac is very genetic, so I probably have it too by reasoning.

I had this huge fatigue that went away one day after seven months off gluten.

I ahve hashimotos, and that is very much connected to gluten.

I have DH too that breaks out if glutened.

I have gluten ataxia too when glutened, and when I tried to get diagnosed I had been off gluten for a while but before I had the beginnings of gluten ataxia. i did not know where my feet were and I get lots and lots of typos when glutened. I thought the keyboard was broken.

nora

[msharnoubi]

Thank you all for your very helpful replies.

I think I'll give the gluten free diet another try.

One last question though.

How long should I try the diet before deciding it's not helping me (i.e. 3, 6, 9 months; or 1,2 ... years)?

Thank you very much

Mohamed

[Korwyn]

Thank you all for your very helpful replies.

I think I'll give the gluten free diet another try.

One last question though.

How long should I try the diet before deciding it's not helping me (i.e. 3, 6, 9 months; or 1,2 ... years)?

My doctor told me that if I was going to try a gluten-free diet that it needed to be for a minimum of 6 weeks, and it needed to be as close to 100% compliant as I could possibly get. Based on much research in last 10 months since I was diagnosed, I would recommend a minimum of 3 months. You may know this already, but you have to consider gluten in medications and other supplements as well as food sources. I know someone who went 5 weeks with no change of symptoms and was going to give up on the diet. She happened to mention in passing some medication she was taking and was asked if it was gluten-free. She replied with amazement and said, "There is gluten in my meds?" After that conversation she went home and went through all her medications, vitamins, and nutritional supplements. Within two weeks and a change in one of her prescription meds she began to notice improvements in her GI symptoms.