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

OK - so I STILL didn't get all the fine points.

Am forwarding this response to you all, as Kemp more clearly explains
than I can. Also will send another person's response RE: testing sites
soon.

Ruth


> Ruth,
>

(first 7 lines from MY summary)

> >>To summarize as best I can:
> >>
> >>        -the tTg (tissue transglutaminase) assay is a series of 4 tests
> >>
> >>(IgA autoantibodies, IgA + IgG gliadin autoantibodies, IgA endomysial
> >>autoantibodies, and IgA reticulin antoantibodies) which, when all
> >>evaluated together provide a 'probability of celiac disease with high
> >>probabilty.

(Kemp's reply)

> The set of four tests is usually called THE celiac antibody test. The
> tissue transglutaminase antibody test is a separate, more sensitive one.
> First reported in Nature Medicine July 1998. For diagnosis, there is hope
> it alone may be sufficient, so sufficient that it mean biopsy wasn't
> needed. For monitoring, it's thought to be more sensitive to gluten than
> the panel, allowing better monitoring of the diet.
>
> I thought one  Maryland research study was aimed at the transglutaminase
> test: the only results I've received are for the celiac panel and I
> suspect results from the other will only be released after they have
> analyzed all the data. That is standard procedure in a research study.
>
>                              Kemp Randolph
>                              Long Island