Elevated DGP antibodies (and especially DGP-IgG) are often seen in patients with celiac disease on a gluten-containing diet. They appear to have approximately the same value of the tTG-IgA antibody test. However, it appears that in very young children (i.e., in the first two years of life) DGP-IgG do provide a better test for celiac… Read more »
(Updated .)Keyword: testing
Why do you insist I eat gluten for a diagnosis when I feel better on a gluten-free diet?
Five reasons exist as to why someone might feel better on a gluten-free diet. It’s crucial to understand which of the five is the cause in order to implement a safe dietary program. – Celiac disease – Non-celiac gluten sensitivity – Wheat allergy – Sensitivity to foods rich in FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and… Read more »
(Updated .)How often should follow-up testing occur?
New celiacs should receive follow-up testing twice in the first year after their diagnosis. The first appointment should occur 3-6 months after the diagnosis, and the second should occur after 1 year on a gluten-free diet. After that, a celiac should receive follow-up testing on a yearly basis. We recommend checking both tTG and DGP… Read more »
(Updated .)In follow-up blood testing, why would tTG be negative and DGP be positive?
If the slightly positive test is the DGP-IgA, you can disregard this value, as it can be misleading. If the DGP-IgG is positive it probably means you’re ingesting small amounts of gluten, possibly from cross-contamination, which are raising antibodies but not enough to trigger a tTG or a mucosal response. Basically, in either case you… Read more »
(Updated .)Is the Anti-Gliadin Antibodies (AGA) test reliable for diagnosing celiac disease?
AGA are anti-food protein antibodies; as such, they are not indicative of any autoimmune reactions. They appear only if the patient has been eating gluten, but–and this is the point–they are not linked to any detectable adverse reaction to gluten. In other words, they can appear in individuals who eat gluten as a response to… Read more »
(Updated .)Who should be tested for celiac disease?
Those who fall into the following categories should be tested for celiac disease: Children older than 3 and adults who are 1st-degree relatives of someone with celiac disease Persistent miscarriages or infertility Type I Diabetes Mellitus Autoimmune Thyroid Disease Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Asthma Multiple Sclerosis Primary Biliary Cirrhosis Down Syndrome Turner Syndrome William’s Syndrome… Read more »
(Updated .)How is genetic testing different than antibody testing for celiac disease?
Blood tests, such as the tissue transglutaminase test (tTG) or the antiendomysial (EMA) antibody test, measure the autoimmune response triggered by gluten that occurs at that particular point in time. These are important tests because they characterize the extent to which the immune system is responding to gluten. Unlike antibody testing, the HLA genetic test… Read more »
(Updated .)I went to a different lab for my most recent follow-up tests. Are the results comparable?
It’s highly likely the results between two different labs, which may use different measurement scales, are not comparable.
(Updated .)Once I’ve been biopsy-diagnosed to confirm celiac disease, do I ever need to have another biopsy done?
Provided you received a clear diagnosis and aren’t experiencing issues there’s no reason to have another biopsy. Even though you may not notice any symptoms from consuming gluten, the disease is still active and can lead to severe complications over time if gluten is sneaking into your diet. Therefore, we recommend annual testing to check… Read more »
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