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

Blood Tests......what Is Correct?

bobtom

Recommended Posts

bobtom Rookie
bobtom
Posted

My 11 year old son has been complaining of stomach aches, off and on, for the last 8-10 months. Pediatrician ordered gliadin IGA (deamidated peptide) which came back 67 (<20 normal). Referred to GI and he said that test isn't very reliable and ordered a tTG IGA and total serum IGA (which I am assuming is normal since he had an elevated gliadin to begin with). I was under the impression from what I have been reading that the gliadin test he had done is pretty reliable. Just wondering thoughts on that and is it common to have that test be high and the tTG IGA be low? If so, what would that indicate? This is all very confusing. Thank you!!

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

I think gliadin IgA is considered innaccurate because it has a higher false negative rate than ttg IgA... I think.

I think gliadin IgA indicates celiac. If it has a low specificity (meaning it could test positive for other problems) I would have the GI or pediatrician explain what those possible causes are instead of brushing it off as he he did. :huh:

He sounds like the type of GI that you'll need to see with a list of documented info on the test results to get the doctor on board. Your son is way above normal...what else does he think it is?

Good luck.

GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

From what I understand that your son's high DGP IgA indicates Celiac Disease even if the tTG IgA is currently negative.

Here is one journal article that talks about DGP IgA as a useful tool in children because the DGP antibodies may show up before tTG antibodies in blood and is better at monitoring compliance once gluten free.

Open Original Shared Link

It is a small study - used this to illustrate my point. There are other studys with much larger sampling groups that you can find with a simple google search.

Your situation is the exactly the reason doctors should run the ENTIRE Celiac Blood Panel when there are symptoms in children. Looking at one test at a time prolongs an already difficult diagnosis process.

It was correct for your GI to order more Celiac blood tests, but it looks like your still hasn't had an Endomysial IgA or any IgG testing. Did the GI order any nutrient tests? Does he have direct experience with Celiac Disease? This can make a big difference if you decide to proceed with endoscopy/biopsy.

I have the same question as nvsmom - if the GI doesn't think the DGP IgA indicates Celiac Disease, what does he think the test means?

bobtom Rookie
bobtom
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for your replies. He did not order any nutrient tests and he didnt offer any explanation to the high result if it isn't celiac. He pretty much blew off that he thought it could be celiac, but he said we needed to "contend" with the high DGP. He did very briefly mention that if the tTG comes back negative, he may do a biopsy, but he said it so quickly and brushed over it and on to other things. My son had his tTG drawn this weekend, I will let you know what is was. I am very interested to see what it is and where we proceed from there. Can and elevated DGP indicate anything else?? Thanks for your time!

frieze Community Regular
frieze
Posted

My 11 year old son has been complaining of stomach aches, off and on, for the last 8-10 months. Pediatrician ordered gliadin IGA (deamidated peptide) which came back 67 (<20 normal). Referred to GI and he said that test isn't very reliable and ordered a tTG IGA and total serum IGA (which I am assuming is normal since he had an elevated gliadin to begin with). I was under the impression from what I have been reading that the gliadin test he had done is pretty reliable. Just wondering thoughts on that and is it common to have that test be high and the tTG IGA be low? If so, what would that indicate? This is all very confusing. Thank you!!

the IgA version is more sensitive, but less specific, than the IgG version. So they should be ordered together.

GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

Can and elevated DGP indicate anything else?? Thanks for your time!

Gliadin is one of two proteins in gluten. Upon digestion proteins are broken down into peptides. A positive DGP IgA shows that antibodies are being created to fight these peptides specific to gluten.

I don't know of anything other than a problem with gluten being the cause of a positive DGP IgA. Anyone else?

Archived

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

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. Scott Adams
      0

      Celiac Diner Sues Olive Garden After Gluten Mix-Up Leads to Medical Emergency (+Video)

    2. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to pothosqueen's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      16

      Positive biopsy

      In the study linked above, the little girl switched to a gluten free diet and gained enough weight that that fat pad was replenished and surgery was not needed. Here's the full article link... Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome in a 6-Year-Old Girl with Final Diagnosis of Celiac Disease https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6476019/
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jordan Carlson's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      1

      Fruits & Veggies

      Hello, @Jordan Carlson, So glad you're feeling better. Tecta is a proton pump inhibitor. PPI's also interfere with the production of the intrinsic factor needed to absorb Vitamin B12. Increasing the amount of B12 you supplement has helped overcome the lack of intrinsic factor needed to absorb B12. Proton pump inhibitors also reduce the...
    4. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to pothosqueen's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      16

      Positive biopsy

      @pothosqueen, Welcome to the tribe! You'll want to get checked for nutritional deficiencies and start on supplementation of B vitamins, especially Thiamine Vitamin B 1. There's some scientific evidence that the fat pad that buffers the aorta which disappears in SMA is caused by deficiency in Thiamine. In Thiamine deficiency, the body...
    5. Scott Adams
      0

      Inmate with Celiac Disease Wins $630,000 After Jail Denies Gluten-Free Food

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,041
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Vfoley422
    Newest Member
    Vfoley422
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Positive biopsy

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      In the study linked above, the little girl switched to a gluten free diet and gained enough weight that that fat pad was replenished and surgery was not needed.   Here's the full article link... Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome in a 6-Year-Old Girl with Final Diagnosis of Celiac Disease https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6476019/
    • knitty kitty
      Fruits & Veggies

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jordan Carlson, So glad you're feeling better.   Tecta is a proton pump inhibitor.  PPI's also interfere with the production of the intrinsic factor needed to absorb Vitamin B12.  Increasing the amount of B12 you supplement has helped overcome the lack of intrinsic factor needed to absorb B12. Proton pump inhibitors also reduce the production of digestive juices (stomach acids).  This results in foods not being digested thoroughly.  If foods are not digested sufficiently, the vitamins and other nutrients aren't released from the food, and the body cannot absorb them.  This sets up a vicious cycle. Acid reflux and Gerd are actually symptoms of producing too little stomach acid.  Insufficient stomach acid production is seen with Thiamine and Niacin deficiencies.  PPI's like Tecta also block the transporters that pull Thiamine into cells, preventing absorption of thiamine.  Other symptoms of Thiamine deficiency are difficulty swallowing, gagging, problems with food texture, dysphagia. Other symptoms of Thiamine deficiency are symptoms of ADHD and anxiety.  Vyvanse also blocks thiamine transporters contributing further to Thiamine deficiency.  Pristiq has been shown to work better if thiamine is supplemented at the same time because thiamine is needed to make serotonin.  Doctors don't recognize anxiety and depression and adult onset ADHD as early symptoms of Thiamine deficiency. Stomach acid is needed to digest Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in fruits and vegetables.  Ascorbic acid left undigested can cause intestinal upsets, anxiety, and heart palpitations.   Yes, a child can be born with nutritional deficiencies if the parents were deficient.  Parents who are thiamine deficient have offspring with fewer thiamine transporters on cell surfaces, making thiamine deficiency easier to develop in the children.  A person can struggle along for years with subclinical vitamin deficiencies.  Been here, done this.  Please consider supplementing with Thiamine in the form TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) which helps immensely with dysphagia and neurological symptoms like anxiety, depression, and ADHD symptoms.  Benfotiamine helps with improving intestinal health.  A B Complex and NeuroMag (a magnesium supplement), and Vitamin D are needed also.
    • knitty kitty
      Positive biopsy

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @pothosqueen, Welcome to the tribe! You'll want to get checked for nutritional deficiencies and start on supplementation of B vitamins, especially Thiamine Vitamin B 1.   There's some scientific evidence that the fat pad that buffers the aorta which disappears in SMA is caused by deficiency in Thiamine.   In Thiamine deficiency, the body burns its stored fat as a source of fuel.  That fat pad between the aorta and digestive system gets used as fuel, too. Ask for an Erythrocyte Transketolace Activity test to look for thiamine deficiency.  Correction of thiamine deficiency can help restore that fat pad.   Best wishes for your recovery!   Interesting Reading: Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome in a 6-Year-Old Girl with Final Diagnosis of Celiac Disease https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31089433/#:~:text=Affiliations,tissue and results in SMAS.  
    • trents
      Positive biopsy

      By trents · Posted

      Wow! You're pretty young to have a diagnosis of SMA syndrome. But youth also has its advantages when it comes to healing, without a doubt. You might be surprised to find out how your health improves and how much better you feel once you eliminate gluten from your diet. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that, when gluten is consumed, triggers an attack on the villous lining of the small bowel. This is the section of the intestines where all our nutrition is absorbed. It is made up of billions of tiny finger-like projections that create a tremendous surface area for absorbing nutrients. For the person with celiac disease, unchecked gluten consumption generates inflammation that wears down these fingers and, over time, greatly reduces the nutrient absorbing efficiency of the small bowel lining. This can generate a whole host of other nutrient deficiency related medical problems. We also now know that the autoimmune reaction to gluten is not necessarily limited to the lining of the small bowel such that celiac disease can damage other body systems and organs such as the liver and the joints and cause neurological problems.  It can take around two years for the villous lining to completely heal but most people start feeling better well before then. It's also important to realize that celiac disease can cause intolerance to some other foods whose protein structures are similar to gluten. Chief among them are dairy and oats but also eggs, corn and soy. Just keep that in mind.
    • pothosqueen
      Positive biopsy

      By pothosqueen · Posted

      26F!
×
×
  • 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.