Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×

  • 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

Confused by my blood work results

kg51

Recommended Posts

kg51 Explorer
kg51
Posted

32F with a lifetime of various digestive upsets, but nothing that's ever been super severe, and nothing that's been consistent throughout. I had a panel done through my primary care doctor and the results popped up in my online account. While I wait to hear back from her (though I'm a little doubtful of her knowledge and will follow up with a GI regardless)...

Immunoglobin A: 216 (range 70-312)

Gliad (Deanidated) Ab IgG: negative

Gliad Deanidated) Ab IgA: negative

Endomysial Antibody IgA by IF: negative <1:10 (range <1:10)

Tissue Transglutaminase Ab IgA: 19.8 (range <15)

Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Qualitative: positive

So I understand that testing the immunoglobin A is to make sure it's normal to rule out the potential for false negatives. Then IgG and IgA and Endomysial Antibody are all negative, but the Tissue Transglutaminase is positive.

Is 19.8 "low positive?" Why are the others negative? Is this still possible/probably celiac disease? 

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted
1 hour ago, kg51 said:

32F with a lifetime of various digestive upsets, but nothing that's ever been super severe, and nothing that's been consistent throughout. I had a panel done through my primary care doctor and the results popped up in my online account. While I wait to hear back from her (though I'm a little doubtful of her knowledge and will follow up with a GI regardless)...

Immunoglobin A: 216 (range 70-312)

Gliad (Deanidated) Ab IgG: negative

Gliad Deanidated) Ab IgA: negative

Endomysial Antibody IgA by IF: negative <1:10 (range <1:10)

Tissue Transglutaminase Ab IgA: 19.8 (range <15)

Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Qualitative: positive

So I understand that testing the immunoglobin A is to make sure it's normal to rule out the potential for false negatives. Then IgG and IgA and Endomysial Antibody are all negative, but the Tissue Transglutaminase is positive.

Is 19.8 "low positive?" Why are the others negative? Is this still possible/probably celiac disease? 

Welcome!  

Yes!  Ask for a Gastroenterologist (GI) referral.  A positive on the TTG that is slightly elevated could be celiac disease or another autoimmune disorder.    The blood test is just the first step in the diagnostic process.  Keep consuming gluten until you see a  GI.  Do not think that a slight elevation or “slightly moderate” equates to no intestinal damage.  

The other tests are negative because they are not all are 100% perfect.      I tested positive to only the DGP IgA and my GI labeled me as slightly positive, yet I had moderate to severe patches of intestinal damage.  

 

kg51 Explorer
kg51
Posted
  • Author

Is there a Tissue Transglutaminase range for celiac-positive people? Is my 19.8 considered low?

kg51 Explorer
kg51
Posted
  • Author

With a positive Tissue Transglutaminase now, even if a future biopsy were negative, is a gluten-free diet recommended? Goodness, I can't wait to talk to my doctor.

Before40 Newbie
Before40
Posted

Been through hell myself with all this. I went to so many doctors, specialists, etc. I recently found this place and have actually started getting answers. www.lab600.com I just posted in the forum a few minutes ago. Definetly worth checking out.

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted
1 hour ago, Before40 said:

Been through hell myself with all this. I went to so many doctors, specialists, etc. I recently found this place and have actually started getting answers. www.lab600.com I just posted in the forum a few minutes ago. Definetly worth checking out.

A hair sample can't diagnose celiac disease.  The correct testing includes both blood antibodies and a biopsy via an endoscopy. 

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted
On 4/3/2018 at 11:33 AM, kg51 said:

Is there a Tissue Transglutaminase range for celiac-positive people? Is my 19.8 considered low?

It doesn't work that way. Different labs have different reference ranges so one can't judge anything by saying 19.8. That's why we always ask people to list the reference ranges from their paperwork which you did so we didn't have to ask you.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted
On 4/3/2018 at 11:38 AM, kg51 said:

With a positive Tissue Transglutaminase now, even if a future biopsy were negative, is a gluten-free diet recommended? Goodness, I can't wait to talk to my doctor.

The gold standard for diagnosis is positive blood work combined with positive endoscopic biopsy. Why the biopsy? Because the TtG IgA alone could possibly be indicative of some other AI disease going on such as Chron's. Therefore, in your case, it's best to do the endoscopy & find out if anything else is going on in there -- maybe several things are, maybe not but better to know. Right? After that, then you can consider giving the gluten-free diet a good try if the biopsies are negative for celiac. 

I am going to repeat this b/c it bears repeating. This is VERY important!!!!

CONTINUE TO EAT GLUTEN EVERY SINGLE DAY UNTIL THE ENDOSCOPY HAS BEEN DONE.

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted
On 4/3/2018 at 8:38 AM, kg51 said:

With a positive Tissue Transglutaminase now, even if a future biopsy were negative, is a gluten-free diet recommended? Goodness, I can't wait to talk to my doctor.

Yes, a gluten free diet could be recommended but only after your GI has completed all testing (including the endoscopy).  Why?  Because your GI could miss damaged areas in the small damage as celiac disease can be patchy.  The small intestine is the size of a tennis court when stretched out.  

Squirmingitches comments are spot on, but I think she missed the range.  Your result was a 19 and the cutoff was 15.  Not a super positive, but it is a positive.  You do not know until you have the endoscopy as celiac antibodies elevations do not always correlate with intestinal damage.   

kg51 Explorer
kg51
Posted
  • Author
4 hours ago, squirmingitch said:

It doesn't work that way. Different labs have different reference ranges so one can't judge anything by saying 19.8. That's why we always ask people to list the reference ranges from their paperwork which you did so we didn't have to ask you.

I posted the range, it's <15 u/ml.

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

I said you posted the range so we didn't have to ask you. 

Maybe I need to clarify. IF a person came on here & said they tested @ 19.8 & gave no other information then we would have no clue as to whether that was positive or negative. 

OK, maybe you're still asking if the 19.8 is considered low. It's not a matter of it being low as long as it's positive which it is. A positive is a positive is a positive. Don't let a doctor trip you up by saying it's a low positive therefore doesn't mean anything. The only time the actual # means something is if it's off the charts high. Like 100 would be considered off the charts high for a range of <15 or 89 would be off the charts high but normally you don't look at how close to the positive range you tested. If your result was 16, it would STILL be positive & trigger moving to an endoscopic biopsy. 

If I didn't explain that well enough then don't hesitate to ask for clarification.

kg51 Explorer
kg51
Posted
  • Author

That was helpful, thank you for your further clarification on your previous comment. I wasn't sure if "a positive is a positive" or not or if a value's closeness to the range mattered.

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

Good, I'm glad I managed to explain that clearly this time. I knew what I meant before but I certainly didn't make it too clear otherwise -- totally hashed it!

Archived

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

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


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      128,079
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Geraldine Selenne
    Newest Member
    Geraldine Selenne
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121k
    • Total Posts
      70.6k
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      Celiac or Addison's complications? Can someone share their experience?

      By trents · Posted

      @KRipple, thank you for the lab results from your husband's celiac disease blood antibody testing. The lab result you share would seem to be the tTG-IGA (Tissue Transglutaminase IGA) and the test result is in excess of 10x normal. This is significant as there is an increasing tendency for physicians to grant a celiac disease diagnosis on the basis of antibody testing alone when the scores on that particular test exceed 10x normal. This trend started in the UK during the COVID pandemic when there was tremendous pressure on the medical system over there and it has spread to the USA. The tTG-IGA is the centerpiece of celiac disease blood antibody testing. All this to say that some doctors would grant a celiac disease diagnosis on your husband's bloodwork alone and not feel a need to go forward with an endoscopy with biopsy. This is something you and your husband might wish to take up with his physicians. In view of his many health issues it might be wise to avoid any further damage to his small bowel lining by the continuing consumption of gluten and also to allow healing of such to progress. The lining of the small bowel is the place where essentially all of our nutrition is absorbed. This is why celiac disease when it is not addressed with a gluten free diet for many years typically results in additional health problems that are tied to nutritional deficiencies. The millions and millions of tiny finger-like projections that make up the nutrient absorbing surface of the small bowel lining are worn down by the constant inflammation from gluten consumption. In celiac disease, the immune system has been tricked into labeling gluten as an invader. As these finger-like projections are worn down, the efficiency of nutrient absorption becomes more and more compromised. We call this villous atrophy.   
    • KRipple
      Celiac or Addison's complications? Can someone share their experience?

      By KRipple · Posted

      Thank you so much! And sorry for not responding sooner. I've been scouring the hospital records and can find nothing other than the following results (no lab info provided): Component Transglutaminase IgA   Normal Range: 0 - 15.0 U/mL >250.0 U/mL High   We live in Olympia, WA and I will be calling University of Washington Hospital - Roosevelt in Seattle first thing tomorrow. They seem to be the most knowledgeable about complex endocrine issues like APS 2 (and perhaps the dynamics of how APS 2 and Celiacs can affect each other). His diarrhea has not abated even without eating gluten, but that could be a presentation of either Celiac's or Addison's. So complicated. We don't have a date for endoscopy yet. I will let my husband know about resuming gluten.    Again, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with me!
    • Jmartes71
      Celiac pain relief

      By Jmartes71 · Posted

      Ginger is my best friend, it helps alot with tummy issues..
    • aattana
      Positive gliadin (deamidated) IgG, normal everything else?

      By aattana · Posted

      Hi Phosphone, did you ever figure out what elevated your DGP?  I am in the same boat. 
    • trents
      Celiac or Addison's complications? Can someone share their experience?

      By trents · Posted

      Scott makes a good point about the prednisone. It has a general suppressing effect on the immune system. Don't misunderstand me. In view of your husband's several autoimmune afflictions, it would seem to be an appropriate medication therapy but it will likely invalidate endoscopy/biopsy test results for celiac disease.
×
×
  • Create New...