What Is The True Sensitivity Of Ttg?

[superfob]

I've read from numerous sources that the sensitivity of TTG is >95%. My doctors keep on telling me that a false negative on TTG occurs in only 1 or 2%. According to "Seronegative Celiac Disease: Increased Prevalence with Lesser Degrees of Villous Atrophy" by Abrams, et al., however, sensitivity seems to really be around 70% clinically:

TABLE 2a. SENSITIVITIES OF SEROLOGIC TESTS BY DEGREE OF VILLOUS ATROPHY*

No. tested Overalll (%) (95% CI) TVA (%) (95% CI) PVA (%) (95% CI) p

EMA 115 74/115 (64%) (55

[October3]

I don't think I'm of much help as I've been trying to figure out the specificity of the tTG without much luck. But here is a table I ran across summarizing studies on the matter.

Open Original Shared Link

Both sensitivity and specificity seem to be very high in studies, but by reading here and things our GI said make me think it is not so much in actual practice. Our GI told me my son had only a 10-15% chance of being positve on the endoscopy despite a moderately elevated tTG. But the specificities are in the high 90's in most studies I have seen. I can't figure out that wide descrepency.

[cassP]

I've read from numerous sources that the sensitivity of TTG is >95%. My doctors keep on telling me that a false negative on TTG occurs in only 1 or 2%. According to "Seronegative Celiac Disease: Increased Prevalence with Lesser Degrees of Villous Atrophy" by Abrams, et al., however, sensitivity seems to really be around 70% clinically:

TABLE 2a. SENSITIVITIES OF SEROLOGIC TESTS BY DEGREE OF VILLOUS ATROPHY*

No. tested Overalll (%) (95% CI) TVA (%) (95% CI) PVA (%) (95% CI) p

EMA 115 74/115 (64%) (55