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

Don't Know How To Interpret Husband's Results

dancergirlmom

Recommended Posts

dancergirlmom Newbie
dancergirlmom
Posted

Good afternoon,

I'm brand new to the board - so I apologize for any "obvious" questions. My husband has been suffering from symptoms that I thought could be related to some form of a gluten intolerance, so I had him ask for a blood test from his doctor. They called back and said he's "fine" and gave us two numbers - 8.3 and 289. I have no idea what these numbers mean and can't find anywhere to tell me. Is there anyone on these boards that can help me determine if his digestive troubles truly have nothing to do with gluten and we should be looking elsewhere? Are there other tests we should be requesting? Thanks for any help you can offer!

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


basilicious Explorer
basilicious
Posted

Good afternoon,

I'm brand new to the board - so I apologize for any "obvious" questions. My husband has been suffering from symptoms that I thought could be related to some form of a gluten intolerance, so I had him ask for a blood test from his doctor. They called back and said he's "fine" and gave us two numbers - 8.3 and 289. I have no idea what these numbers mean and can't find anywhere to tell me. Is there anyone on these boards that can help me determine if his digestive troubles truly have nothing to do with gluten and we should be looking elsewhere? Are there other tests we should be requesting? Thanks for any help you can offer!

Hi dancergirlmom,

Welcome to the board. I am a newbie too, but since I've been immersed in the diagnosis process, I can offer some basic guidance. First, you absolutely must get a copy of your husband's lab results. Post them on the forum along with the reference ranges, and there are members who can help you interpret them.

Second, here is a list of what should be checked for blood test-wise:

Anti-gliadin (AGA) IgA

Anti-gliadin (AGA) IgG

Anto-Endomysial (EMA) IgA

Anti-Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA

Deamidated Gliadin Peptide (DGP) IgA and IgG

Total serum (IgA)

From what I have seen, it appears that the EMA IgA involves a more sophisticated test of the antibodies, but I'm sure some of the experts in the group can correct me/offer additional insight. You should be able to check your husband's lab results against this list to determine how thorough they are. (However, since you only quoted two numbers, it seems clear that some additional testing may be in order.)

Hope this helps!

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

Without knowing the ranges the lab uses for these tests, (and what tests they were) it is impossible to comment. It sounds like they did the fourth and sixth tests in the list, the tTG and the total serum IgA which is the validator that you produce normal quantities of the IgA antibody. The tTG is the doctors' favourite test, but not the most specific for celiac, which is the DGP. The tTG relates solely to intestinal symptoms whereas celiac can affect different parts of the body instead or as well.

If I were you I would get a copy of the test results, and I would ask them to run the DGP. However, it is perfectly possible for your husband to be gluten intolerant but not celiac.

dancergirlmom Newbie
dancergirlmom
Posted
  • Author

Thank you so much to everyone for their responses! I am so overwhelmed - and didn't even know to ask for a copy of the results. So - ok - here's what I've got. They faxed them to us...and they were also checking his cholesterol and stuff - so I think I copied the important things for this discussion. Please let me know what this means, should we be doing other tests, in general - help!

Transglutinase Antibody 8.3 AB/Units Reference Range 0.0-19.9

AB/Units

Negative < 20.0

Weak Positive 20.0-30.0

Moderate to Strong Positive > 30.0

IGA Result 289 Units mg/dL Reference Range 70-400

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

Two tests do not make up a complete panel, but those results are in the normal range, in other words, negative.

dancergirlmom Newbie
dancergirlmom
Posted
  • Author

Two tests do not make up a complete panel, but those results are in the normal range, in other words, negative.

So - should we request more testing...and if so, what tests? Or do we rule out any type of sensitivity to gluten as the cause of his digestive troubles?

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

The complete celiac panel was listed above by basilicious.

The comments by mushroom are on point.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


just me Newbie
just me
Posted

I just had to same test done 2 days ago and I too was confused with the numbers. my transglutinase number was 4 and the IGA serum number was 151. So does this mean negative? Please advise. Thanks

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

lWith the ranges most labs use, the numbers you gave are within the normal variation, and therefore negative, although you really should check the lab ranges as the raw scores mean nothing without those.

Welcome to the board, and feel free to ask any further questions.

Archived

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

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


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,685
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    tdouglas2901
    Newest Member
    tdouglas2901
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I'd go with a vodka tonic, but that's just me😉
    • Rejoicephd
      Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?

      By Rejoicephd · Posted

      That and my nutritionist also said that drinking cider is one of the worst drink choices for me, given that I have candida overgrowth.  She said the combination of the alcohol and sugar would be very likely to worsen my candida problem.  She suggested that if I drink, I go for clear vodka, either neat or with a splash of cranberry.   So in summary, I am giving ciders a rest.  Whether it's a gluten risk or sugars and yeast overgrowth, its just not worth it.
    • Inkie
      Tea Bags and Gluten

      By Inkie · Posted

      Thank you for the information ill will definitely bring it into practice .
    • Scott Adams
      Tea Bags and Gluten

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      While plain, pure tea leaves (black, green, or white) are naturally gluten-free, the issue often lies not with the tea itself but with other ingredients or processing. Many flavored teas use barley malt or other gluten-containing grains as a flavoring agent, which would be clearly listed on the ingredient label. Cross-contamination is another possibility, either in the facility where the tea is processed or, surprisingly, from the tea bag material itself—some tea bags are sealed with a wheat-based glue. Furthermore, it's important to consider that your reaction could be to other substances in tea, such as high levels of tannins, which can be hard on the stomach, or to natural histamines or other compounds that can cause a non-celiac immune response. The best way to investigate is to carefully read labels for hidden ingredients, try switching to a certified gluten-free tea brand that uses whole leaf or pyramid-style bags, and see if the reaction persists.
    • Scott Adams
      Inconclusive results

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      This is a challenging and confusing situation. The combination of a positive EMA—which is a highly specific marker rarely yielding false positives—alongside strongly elevated TTG on two separate occasions, years apart, is profoundly suggestive of celiac disease, even in the absence of biopsy damage. This pattern strongly aligns with what is known as "potential celiac disease," where the immune system is clearly activated, but intestinal damage has not yet become visible under the microscope. Your concern about the long-term risk of continued gluten consumption is valid, especially given your family's experience with the consequences of delayed diagnosis. Since your daughter is now at an age where her buy-in is essential for a gluten-free lifestyle, obtaining a definitive answer is crucial for her long-term adherence and health. Given that she is asymptomatic yet serologically positive, a third biopsy now, after a proper 12-week challenge, offers the best chance to capture any microscopic damage that may have developed, providing the concrete evidence needed to justify the dietary change. This isn't about wanting her to have celiac; it's about wanting to prevent the insidious damage that can occur while waiting for symptoms to appear, and ultimately giving her the unambiguous "why" she needs to accept and commit to the necessary treatment. This article might be helpful. It breaks down each type of test, and what a positive results means in terms of the probability that you might have celiac disease. One test that always needs to be done is the IgA Levels/Deficiency Test (often called "Total IGA") because some people are naturally IGA deficient, and if this is the case, then certain blood tests for celiac disease might be false-negative, and other types of tests need to be done to make an accurate diagnosis. The article includes the "Mayo Clinic Protocol," which is the best overall protocol for results to be ~98% accurate.    
×
×
  • 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.