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Is a TTG IgA of 52 considered mild or borderline?

LCArseneault
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LCArseneault Rookie
LCArseneault
Posted

I’m just trying to figure out where my levels stand, if this is considered borderline, or if this is a clear positive? 

Has anyone with a similar level ever had a positive TTG and negative biopsy/told it wasn’t celiac? I’m currently waiting on the biopsy but it’s 3+ months for the scope where I am and debating just going gluten free now - the TTG was done as part of a recurrent pregnancy loss after our third miscarriage, and so doing whatever I can to improve our chances of getting and staying pregnant is really important to me… if it’s 3 + months before I can even START to heal my gut, it’ll be 6+ months before our chances improve and we’ve already been trying for a year. Everything else in our RPL workup has come back normal. Would be willing to do a scope after hypothetical baby…

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trents Grand Master
trents
Posted

What was your tTG-IGA score? But to answer your question, yes. We sometimes do get forum participants who have positive blood work but negative biopsy. Seems to happen more often with children but we do get some adults who report this. I would assume this phenomenon indicates the celiac disease was caught in a very early stage before damage is done to the SB lining. Do you have other symptoms besides fertility issues that would suggest celiac disease?

Is your age a factor here with regard to wanting to go gluten-free before a biopsy can be arranged. Is the time window of child bearing age starting to close? Sorry, hope that question isn't too personal.

LCArseneault Rookie
LCArseneault
Posted
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15 minutes ago, trents said:

What was your tTG-IGA score? But to answer your question, yes. We sometimes do get forum participants who have positive blood work but negative biopsy. Seems to happen more often with children but we do get some adults who report this. I would assume this phenomenon indicates the celiac disease was caught in a very early stage before damage is done to the SB lining. Do you have other symptoms besides fertility issues that would suggest celiac disease?

Is your age a factor here with regard to wanting to go gluten-free before a biopsy can be arranged. Is the time window of child bearing age starting to close? Sorry, hope that question isn't too personal.

It was 52. I do have some GI symptoms (loose BMs once-twice a day, gassy, have had really itchy undiagnosed rashes on my legs on/off for years), my GI symptoms have worsened over the last few months but I've been so caught up in my fertility issues to really notice or care. 

It's not so much that my age is a factor, but we'd hoped to have an age gap of 2 years between kids, and our daughter is already two, and with our track record of initially taking over a year to get pregnant the first time and then losing 3 out of 4 of our pregnancies, taking any time off feels detrimental. 

Basically wondering how a level of 52 stands, is that considered borderline? Or is that fairly clear-cut? From what I'm reading the chances of a false positive are quite low. 

trents Grand Master
trents
Posted

What was the reference range used by the lab? Different labs use different reference ranges for negative/positive.

LCArseneault Rookie
LCArseneault
Posted
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Just now, trents said:

What was the reference range used by the lab? Different labs use different reference ranges for negative/positive.

20 is considered the upper limit of normal at the lab it was done at. 

trents Grand Master
trents
Posted
(edited)

Then I would not consider 52 an equivocal score. But there are some things besides celiac disease that can cause elevated tTG-IGA. But other causes are fairly uncommon.

You might google, "What can cause elevated tTG-IGA scores besides celiac disease?" and "What can cause villous atrophy besides celiac disease?" Some other diseases and some medications can damage villi and cause inflammation. Crohn's Disease is one, I believe.

Edited by trents
LCArseneault Rookie
LCArseneault
Posted
  • Author
1 hour ago, trents said:

Then I would not consider 52 an equivocal score. But there are some things besides celiac disease that can cause elevated tTG-IGA. But other causes are fairly uncommon.

You might google, "What can cause elevated tTG-IGA scores besides celiac disease?" and "What can cause villous atrophy besides celiac disease?" Some other diseases and some medications can damage villi and cause inflammation.

Thank you so much. For people who've gone gluten free already before their scope, what is the common amount of time before the scope they're instructed to eat gluten? 

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trents Grand Master
trents
Posted

The Mayo Clinic guideline for the prescope/biopsy gluten challenge is the amount of gluten equivalent to two slices of wheat bread daily for two weeks.

scanlanmd Apprentice
scanlanmd
Posted
On 2/20/2022 at 7:15 AM, LCArseneault said:

I’m just trying to figure out where my levels stand, if this is considered borderline, or if this is a clear positive? 

Has anyone with a similar level ever had a positive TTG and negative biopsy/told it wasn’t celiac? I’m currently waiting on the biopsy but it’s 3+ months for the scope where I am and debating just going gluten free now - the TTG was done as part of a recurrent pregnancy loss after our third miscarriage, and so doing whatever I can to improve our chances of getting and staying pregnant is really important to me… if it’s 3 + months before I can even START to heal my gut, it’ll be 6+ months before our chances improve and we’ve already been trying for a year. Everything else in our RPL workup has come back normal. Would be willing to do a scope after hypothetical baby…

Hey there!

Newly diagnosed with a level of 60 (60 being indicated at the lab as being "high"). My doctor, along with other blood indications, diagnosed me as definitively having celiac disease. Keep in mind, I have struggled with symptoms for nearly a decade and have reduced MANY "allergy containing" foods prior to getting impromptu tested again. 

Due to the pandemic, getting in for a biopsy would take longer than usual where I am from, so I chose to begin the diet immediately. After almost 3 weeks of gluten-free life, I have been having solid bowel movements, something that I have not had in almost 10 years!! Of course, I still have much healing to do and many other symptoms to absolve, however, I am happy with my decision to begin the diet immediately (cross the biopsy road when I get to it).

I hope my experience may help you make the decision that is best for you!

Meg.

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