Need Help Interpreting Celiac Test Results

[livebetter]

Hi everyone,

Just got these blood test results:

Celiac Disease Ab Screen w/Rfx

Deamidated Gliadin Abs, IGA -> result says 20 and is flagged as High

Reference interval for this test is:

Negative 1-19

Weak Positive 20-30

Moderate to Strong Postive >30

t-Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA -> result says <2 U/ml

Reference Interval for this test is:

Negative 0-3

Weak Positive 4-10

Positive >10

Immunoglobulin A, Qn Serum -> result says 305 mg/dL

Refernce Interval for this test is 70-400

So - the Deamidated Gliadin IgA is Weak Positive, the tTG IgA is Negative, and the Immunoglobulin A Qn Serum is within normal range...

Do these results mean that I have a gluten sensitivity, and that I might benefit from excluding gluten from my diet? Or do I need any additional testing to confirm whether I have a gluten sensitivity? I don't have any digestive issues (that I am aware of), but I've had psoriasis and skin dermatitis for 30+ years, and I am trying to determine if a gluten sensitivity may be the cause of my psoriasis (or if it makes the psoriasis worse)...

Thanks for your help!

[ravenwoodglass]

You had one test that was positive. If you are done with all celiac related testing give the diet a good strict trial.

[livebetter]

Thanks very much...will see gi doctor soon to see if any more testing is needed before going on gluten-free diet.

[nora-n]

that is a new very specific test for celiac, and it is more specific than the other tests. so it does not matter if they were low or negative.

[livebetter]

that is a new very specific test for celiac, and it is more specific than the other tests. so it does not matter if they were low or negative.

Hi nora_n (and anyone else who cares to comment):

I am new at this and I want to make sure I understand nora_n's comment -

Are you saying that the Deamidated Gliadin Abs IGA test is the new specific test for Celiac, and the results of that test should hold more weight than the other blood tests? So, I should ignore the negative result on the t-Transglutiminase IgA test, and I should consider the weak positive result on the Deamidated Gliadin Abs IGA as my Celiac blood test result?

If so, then I did score a weak positive for Celiac via a blood test...I really don't want to get a biopsy - I would rather just try a gluten free diet for a minimum of 3 months to see if it clears/improves my psoriasis.

Thanks

[Skylark]

Yes DGP carries more weight that TTG. The main reason is because DGP is more sensitive than TTG, so it's more likely to pick up celiac disease properly. It's also a little more specific for celiac than TTG.

If you're going to decline the biopsy than you need to eat as if you are celiac for the rest of your life. You risk some rare but very nasty GI cancers consuming gluten, plus you are more likely to develop other autoimmunity like thyroid disease.

[nora-n]

livebetter, are you sure you actually do not have DH?

Dermatitis herpetiformis is caused by ttg-3 antibodies, and one must go completely gluten free. It may take up to a year or even more for it to go away even on a very strict gluten free diet, so three months may not be enough.

The ttg-2 test is notorious for giving a lot of false negatives with the most common for of celiac, patchy celiac.

The deaminated gliadin test may pick up celiac a bit earlier than the ttg-2 test.

The ttg-2 test may be falsely positive with some other issues, and the new test is more specific.

You really can trust that one.

There have been several other postings here with the same constellation, positive DGP test and negative ttg-2 test, and symptoms.

I have not heard of anyone getting any ttg-3 test.

I have read abostracts where patietns got a ttg-6 test but I think that is only for research.

[livebetter]

Hi nora_n,

Thanks - I don't ever remember having an actual biopsy to confirm the psoriasis diagnosis that I have received from several dermotogloists over the years, but my psoriasis has typically responded favorably to topical steriods and to a biologic TNF inhbitor (Enbrel/Humira family of drugs). If my skin issue was really DH instead, would it have improved with the TNF inhibitor and topical steriods? I think I read somewhere that DH only responds to Dapsone? I'll take a look at the DH forum and see what I find there.

In light of the weak positive gliadin test I just had, I will ask my dermotologist to take a very close look at everything on my skin and see whether any of it looks like it might be DH....and get biopsies accordingly.

I have a bunch of things going on with my skin - very dry skin in general, plaque psoriasis, guttate psoriasis, pustular psoriasis and lots of tiny red bumps (no fluid) that sometimes turn into guttate psoriasis or disappear. I also probably have some ezcema too....

My skin is definitely taking the brunt of whatever is happening inside my body, and I am on a journey to figure this out and get all of this corrected... My celiac panel results may have uncovered a new clue and a new path for me to go down.....

Thanks all for your help!