Enterolab - Test Results

[Lotsof?s]

Please help me interpret the finding of this report for my young child.

A) Gluten Sensitivity Stool and Gene Panel Complete *Best test/best value

Fecal Anti-gliadin IgA 70 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)

Fecal Anti-tissue Transglutaminase IgA 18 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)

Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score Less than 300 Units (Normal Range is less than 300 Units)

Fecal Anti-casein (cow

[Skylark]

Your child definitely needs a celiac panel at the doctors office, and tell the doctor he has a copy of DQ8 and celiac antibodies in his stool. Do this before you make any changes to his diet because celiac tests are only accurate in people eating wheat. Then you should try the gluten-free diet, as your child will probably feel better off gluten and possibly off casein.

I wish we knew more about the stool antibodies, but Fine has not published anything to read in the peer-reviewed literature so the test cannot be considered diagnostic. That's as strong a result as I've seen around here though so I'd say chances are good your child is celiac. Are you?

[Lotsof?s]

Thank you. She has been gluten free for about 9 months so we had to take this test and not the blood one since eating gluten causes her stomach to swell and days of pain. The upside for her is dairy, but after the holidays we will adjust that too.

Do you think it is worth it for my husband and I to be genetically tested for celiac?

Thanks again!

Your child definitely needs a celiac panel at the doctors office, and tell the doctor he has a copy of DQ8 and celiac antibodies in his stool. Do this before you make any changes to his diet because celiac tests are only accurate in people eating wheat. Then you should try the gluten-free diet, as your child will probably feel better off gluten and possibly off casein.

I wish we knew more about the stool antibodies, but Fine has not published anything to read in the peer-reviewed literature so the test cannot be considered diagnostic. That's as strong a result as I've seen around here though so I'd say chances are good your child is celiac. Are you?

[ravenwoodglass]

Thank you. She has been gluten free for about 9 months so we had to take this test and not the blood one since eating gluten causes her stomach to swell and days of pain. The upside for her is dairy, but after the holidays we will adjust that too.

Do you think it is worth it for my husband and I to be genetically tested for celiac?

Thanks again!

It would be more valuable for you to go to the doctor and ask for the celiac panel. Gene testing can be informative but is not diagnostic. People can have the gene and never develop celiac. Your child got one gene from you and one from Dad. Are either of you showing any symptoms?

[Emilushka]

I don't think you actually need any more testing. You have the antibodies in the stool - which is where it makes sense to find them if they're attacking the intestines. The anti-tissue transglutaminase is the TTG that can be measured in the blood, and the other relevant level was the anti-casein antibody. Sounds like your kiddo has intolerance to both gluten and casein (milk protein) and needs to go gluten-free and casein-free right away.

You and your husband could be tested, but check your insurance before you get the blood testing. If you want it and it's not covered, save up about $300 each before you have it done. My testing would have cost me $290 (not including the cost of having blood drawn by the hospital). Without symptoms, you could have a more difficult time getting it covered, so be prepared to pay out-of-pocket potentially. I had a hard time getting mine covered even when it was supposed to be covered.

[Skylark]

Thank you. She has been gluten free for about 9 months so we had to take this test and not the blood one since eating gluten causes her stomach to swell and days of pain. The upside for her is dairy, but after the holidays we will adjust that too.

Do you think it is worth it for my husband and I to be genetically tested for celiac?

Thanks again!

If wheat makes her that sick and she feels normal off of it, she is celiac. She is probably not gluten-free enough if that is a result after 9 months on the diet. Double-check with Enterolab but I'd be surprised if they say they see TTG antibodies and that much anti-gliadin in celiacs who are strict on the diet for 9 months. How careful are you around the house, and is it possible she's getting gluten at school/daycare?

The dairy is not necessarily a lifelong thing. She is not healed with those antibodies. Once she's been truly gluten-free for a while she may be able to tolerate dairy fine. The anti-gliadin and anti-casein IgA in stool really isn't that meaningful as there was a study that shows that it comes and goes. Fine's own data shows that it isn't very predictive of response to the gluten-free diet. The meaningful result for her is the TTG, which is almost always a sign of celiac in a young child in blood so it can't be good in stool.

After she is doing really well for maybe six months, you can challenge dairy again and see if she tolerates it. It's a very good way for kids to get calcium and you only want her off of it unless it's absolutely necessary.

If you and your husband are eating wheat, you should have a normal celiac panel if your insurance covers it. Genetic testing is not diagnostic at all, as over 30% of the US population has one of the genes associated with celiac. It's also often not covered by insurance for that reason.