Lab Results In

[ksgilley]

My 3 yr old has had GI issues for a while now. Our doctor ran the celiac panel and the results were:

Antigliadin IgA = <4

Antigliadin IgG = 11 (high)

tTG IgA = <4

tTG IgG = <6

endomysial Antibody IgA = negative

Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum = 189 (high)

Her pediatrician said to go ahead and take her off gluten and make an appt with a GI specialist.

She has been gluten free now for 4 days and I am already seeing major changes in her bm - for the better. Her tummy aches and gas have disappeared. We have not had a tantrum in 3 days and this is big for her.

Is the IgG enough for a gluten intolerance diagnosis?

Thank you,

Kelly

[confused]

My 3 yr old has had GI issues for a while now. Our doctor ran the celiac panel and the results were:

Antigliadin IgA = <4

Antigliadin IgG = 11 (high)

tTG IgA = <4

tTG IgG = <6

endomysial Antibody IgA = negative

Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum = 189 (high)

Her pediatrician said to go ahead and take her off gluten and make an appt with a GI specialist.

She has been gluten free now for 4 days and I am already seeing major changes in her bm - for the better. Her tummy aches and gas have disappeared. We have not had a tantrum in 3 days and this is big for her.

Is the IgG enough for a gluten intolerance diagnosis?

Thank you,

Kelly

Well we are in the same boat with my son, only test high was the IgG, his was 3 times the normal range. The dr here had no idea what that meant, so told us to see an ped Gi dr, that we have been waiting to see for months now.

From what many have told me here, high IgG is not enough for an gluten intolerance, it can be from other things. years ago IgG that is high would have been enough but now they go by ttg and ema.

But what many will tell you, if u can see the difference in her behaviour and Bm, then you have your answer. But to let you know if they ask you to have an endoscope after her being gluten free, you might get an false negative on the test.

paula

[CarlaB]

If you're going to take her to the GI for further testing, she needs to stay on the gluten until the testing is completed or it won't be accurate. I don't know why primary caregivers don't know that!

[happygirl]

ks:

it might not be enough for a true Celiac diagnosis, but it indicates that your child is reacting to gluten. The good thing about this is that you don't need a diagnosis to go gluten free. The tests and the dietary response are enough to show that this is a problem.

If you continue with further testing, yes, your child still needs to continue eating gluten. The main thing to consider is, if the biopsy is negative, it doesn't mean that she doesn't have some sort of reaction to gluten.

There are many, many people out there who are gluten sensitive and don't have a Celiac diagnosis. They are labeled gluten intolerant or gluten sensitive (most lactose intolerant people aren't 'tested'...they just know)

Best of luck,

Laura

[Suzie-GFfamily]

I don't think that the antigliadin antibody testing is recommended for diagnosing celiac disease.

Have you read the book by Dr. Peter Green called "celiac disease: A Hidden Epidemic?" There is a section in that book about antigliadin antibodies. It's been about a year since I read it, so I can't remember the details.

The following statement is in written in a guideline for physicians to help them diagnose and treat celiac disease in children:

"AGA IgA and AGA IgG tests are no longer recommended as initial testing due to the inferior accuracy of antigliadin antibody tests (AGA)."

for more info see: Open Original Shared Link

For the test results you have- it is beneficial to know the normal range. The normal range for the antibody results is not the same from lab to lab, so if you are seeking input from people in other places they would need to know what is considered "normal" in the lab where your child was tested. When my children were tested, the normal range for tTG IgA was anything less than 10.

Do you know how long it will be before your appt with the GI specialist? Perhaps you could call their office and see what their recommendation is for your child's diet. Many specialists would prefer if you continue a regular diet until your consult, otherwise it can seriously limit the testing options.

[happygirl]

but, the IgG is use for food intolerances (not just for gluten, which is the AGA, but for many, many other foods that are IgG mediated).

So, while not necessarily indicative of Celiac, it can indicate a problem with gluten, nonetheless.

[Jestgar]

it might not be enough for a true Celiac diagnosis, but it indicates that your child is reacting to gluten.

For some reason the phrasing of this struck me as brilliant.

Yeah, whatever the cause is, your child is reacting to gluten and maybe she shouldn't eat it. If the endo shows something other than Celiac, maybe she still shouldn't eat it.

[ksgilley]

I don't think that the antigliadin antibody testing is recommended for diagnosing celiac disease.

Have you read the book by Dr. Peter Green called "celiac disease: A Hidden Epidemic?" There is a section in that book about antigliadin antibodies. It's been about a year since I read it, so I can't remember the details.

The following statement is in written in a guideline for physicians to help them diagnose and treat celiac disease in children:

"AGA IgA and AGA IgG tests are no longer recommended as initial testing due to the inferior accuracy of antigliadin antibody tests (AGA)."

for more info see: Open Original Shared Link

For the test results you have- it is beneficial to know the normal range. The normal range for the antibody results is not the same from lab to lab, so if you are seeking input from people in other places they would need to know what is considered "normal" in the lab where your child was tested. When my children were tested, the normal range for tTG IgA was anything less than 10.

Do you know how long it will be before your appt with the GI specialist? Perhaps you could call their office and see what their recommendation is for your child's diet. Many specialists would prefer if you continue a regular diet until your consult, otherwise it can seriously limit the testing options.

Positive lab results would be as follows (LabCorp):

AGA IgA >4

AGA IgG >9

tTG IgA >4

tTG IgG >6

The resuls for the test did not show the actual number if it was within normal range.

I will not get into the GI for 8 weeks unless there is a cancellation which is very common. They said it should only take 2-3 weeks.

[ksgilley]

but, the IgG is use for food intolerances (not just for gluten, which is the AGA, but for many, many other foods that are IgG mediated).

So, while not necessarily indicative of Celiac, it can indicate a problem with gluten, nonetheless.

Can it also indicate intolerance to lactose? We have taken her on and off lactose thinking that was the problem and at times I would think she was getting better but then it would just come back.

If she is sensitive/intolerant (not sure if there is a difference here) to gluten but not celiac does that mean we keep her off gluten but don't have to be as "vigilant" about things like cross contamination?

Thanks,

Kelly

[happygirl]

Considering its an antigliadin (the problematic part of gluten) IgG, I would say probably not. Lactose is a different problem....when the body doesn't have enough lactase, which is the enzyme that breaks down lactose. (Lactaid isn't a drug, but extra enzymes to help break down lactose). Many people with undx'ed Celiac (or unhealed celiac disease) have problems with lactose because lactase exists on the tips of the villi in the small intestine. With Celiac, the villi are damaged, hence the problem with lactose. For many, after they are healed, they can tolerate lactose (bc the enzymes are back). On the other hand, there are healed Celiacs who are LI (just like there are LI ppl who aren't Celiac).

Well, you can probably look at this multiple ways.

1. You don't KNOW that she doesn't have "true" Celiac.

2. Even if she is "only" gluten intolerant/sensitive, the issue is that she is having symptoms from eating gluten. If find her symptoms are tied to gluten, then she needs to be 100% gluten-free, not gluten "lite." There is some question with me if I am gluten intolerant vs. Celiac, and let me tell you, it doesnt matter-I react horribly to gluten. There are many people on this board who don't have a Celiac dx and follow a strict gluten-free diet because it makes them feel better. If I were "not as vigilant," my life would still be a living h$ll. If I didn't worry about cross contamination, I would be sick everyday. So the point of the diet would be lost.

I think the best bet would be to put her on a strict gluten free diet and see how she does. See if her symptoms (which led you to find relief in the first place) improve. A positive dietary response is important in determining if this is her problem or part of her problem.

[chrissy]

the IgG is not enough for a celiac diagnosis. IgG antibodies can be raised in other conditions, such as chrons disease. the gi may not be able to tell you much if you have already put your child on a gluten free diet prior to seeing him.

[happygirl]

I agree with Chrissy about eating gluten before further testing. Plus, it is important to be able to rule out other problems that might be there (either instead of a gluten problem, or concurrently).

IgG food intolerance (delayed allergy) testing is commonly used, even among the big lab companies.