Kaiser Permanente Ttg Iga

[jnh380]

Hello,

A few weeks ago I had blood tests done as part of a regular check-up. I have been feeling many symptoms similar to the common celiac symptoms but had attributed it to anxiety/depression, somatic effects on my digestion. My doc first labelled it as IBS but the blood test came back positive.

My Question is:

Typical TTG igA tests seem to use a result of 4.0 to 20.0+ as a range. The test I received from Kaiser only gave me a normal as less than 0.9, and my test came back 1.65.

Does anyone have experience with Kaiser's TTG test and how to understand the results? If i do the math my result is 85% higher than the normal range. I have started a gluten-free diet and will have a biopsy done next week to find out more.

Thanks,

Justin

[beachbirdie]

Hello,

A few weeks ago I had blood tests done as part of a regular check-up. I have been feeling many symptoms similar to the common celiac symptoms but had attributed it to anxiety/depression, somatic effects on my digestion. My doc first labelled it as IBS but the blood test came back positive.

My Question is:

Typical TTG igA tests seem to use a result of 4.0 to 20.0+ as a range. The test I received from Kaiser only gave me a normal as less than 0.9, and my test came back 1.65.

Does anyone have experience with Kaiser's TTG test and how to understand the results? If i do the math my result is 85% higher than the normal range. I have started a gluten-free diet and will have a biopsy done next week to find out more.

Thanks,

Justin

I don't know anything about Kaiser's celiac testing, but I do know you need to keep eating gluten if you are going to have the biopsy. If you go off gluten, you will get a less accurate result.

The best way to interpret the lab results it simply to look at your result within the context of your lab's ranges. Every lab is different, and so a result from one lab cannot be interpreted by a range from a different lab. It would be most helpful to see all of the information from your test, including the name of the test, along with the range. That way we're comparing "apples to apples" so to speak!

[Cara in Boston]

Keep eating gluten until after the biopsy! The process is frustrating enough . . . you don't want to alter the results by starting too soon. As soon as the biopsy is done, start the diet. Take the time in between to prepare your kitchen and shop for good, healthy food so you will be ready, but keep eating gluten until then.

Even if the biopsy is negative (or inconclusive) your positive blood test and symptoms indicate you should be gluten free.

Cara

[Skylark]

Typical TTG igA tests seem to use a result of 4.0 to 20.0+ as a range. The test I received from Kaiser only gave me a normal as less than 0.9, and my test came back 1.65.

There is no "typical" TTG IgA test. The results are given in arbitrary units and you have to interpret them by comparing to the provided reference range.

Your test is clearly positive and you are very likely celiac. Good luck with the biopsy!

[jnh380]

Thanks everyone for the comments. Luckily my sister is a former dietician / current pharmacist so she has lots of experience with this. I will keep you posted on the results from the biopsy i have this coming monday.