<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

In my recent posting on mouth sores, I was sent this information about 
celiac blood testing which I thought might be useful:


Celiac Blood Tests

Here are the tests and explanation of what they are.  There are a total of 6 
tests that can be run for Celiac disease.

(1)  Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgA
(2)  Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgG
(3)  Anti-Tissue Transglutaminase (tTg) IgA
(4)  Total serum IgA
(5)  Anti-Tissue Transglutaminase (tTg) IgG
(6)  Endomesial Antibody (EMA) IgA


Note that AGA is simply the abbreviation for Anti-Gliadin antibody.  TTg is 
the Tissue transglutimase and EMA for Endomeisial antibody.  Sometimes you 
see the letters instead.  Because writing and saying the words is a pain.

The tests with IgA test for the IgA antibody in the system.

The IgG tests test for IgG antibodies in the system.

The most indicative tests of Celiac are the tTg-IgA(number 3 above) and the 
EMA(number 6 above).
What is often referred to as the "Celiac Disease Panel"consistes of the 
first 4 tests above.
These are the "standard" tests that should always be run to test for Celiac 
disease.

Number 4-Total Serum IgA is critical to include.  This will tell you if the 
body is able to produce IgA antibodies.
Some people(10% of the population) can't produce the IgA antibodies and are 
considered IgA deficient.

If you cannot produce IgA antibodies, the IgA tests above(# 1, 3 and 6) will 
not come back positive for
Celiac disease, even if you have Celiac disease.  Therefore, you have to 
reply on the IgG numbers.

They usually only run #5 if Total Serum IgA indicates a deficiency and /or 
if the AGA IgG(#2 above)
is the only one that is abnormally high.

The EMA(#6) is very sensitive for CD.  However, it is a test that is more 
difficult to read;
meaning that you have to have an experienced lab tech reading the results or 
there could be an error.

The tTg-IgA test is more "idiot proof" in the lab and cheaper to do, so it 
has become more of the standard instead
of the EMA.

You can have both done, but it isn't necessary.
 

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