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

Hi All--

Thanks to everyone who wrote with information on how to test for celiac if
one has no IgA or is at least deficient. There were a number of people who
requested a summary, so the following is what I received. Please take note
of dates of articles (my apologies if I posted the same article more than
once). Mayo Clinic has changed their testing protocol and the link to the
article is in this summary. Inasmuch as I would like to think that I know
which method of testing is best with an IgA deficiency, I don't.
Consequently, I suggest that people visit with their doctors about how to
test. Some of this information is probably outdated (though perhaps not
necessarily inaccurate) - thus, my suggestion that people see their
physicians cannot be stressed enough. ~~Ayn in Alabama
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Basically, there are a few tests out there that test for more antibodies
than other test panels, and there is MUCH more to the gluten syndrome than
just villi damage.  Celiac disease is just one small subset of damage that a
relatively few people happen to have.  Other damage in other parts of the
body is just as serious and often doesn't show up in the typical celiac
diagnostic process.
_____
http://www.celiacdiseasecenter.columbia.edu/C_Doctors/C05-Testing.htm
_____

http://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/media/articles/communique/mc2831-0608.pdf<http://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/media/articles/communique/mc2831->

_____
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.
_____

http://cvi.asm.org/cgi/content/full/9/6/1295

_____
When I first asked have my son tested for celiac they did a tTG IgA and a
total IgA, and told me he didn't have celiac but that he did have IgA
deficiency.  Disregarding the not well informed pediatrician, I took my son
to a pediatric GI doctor who thought his symptoms were suspicious enough
that he went straight to doing the endoscopy/biopsies and that is how he was
diagnosed with celiac diseaese.  However, upon further reading I learned
that there is a blood test called tTG IgG that can be used to screen for
Celiac Disease.  I asked for this test so I might have a tool to monitor our
success with the gluten free diet over the years (ordinarily they repeat the
tTG IgA test annually).  We did the test about a week after starting the
gluten free diet.  Normal is less than 20 and my son's result was
64--positive for celiac.  Now hopefully it will come down as he adhere's to
the GF diet and also spike if he starts sneaking stuff when I'm not looking!
_____
You will need to use IgG testing. There is an antigliadin IgG, endomesial
IgG and a tissue transglutaminase IgG. There is a new test IgG antibodies to
deamidated gliadin peptides
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17985240?ordinalpos=12&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

*Disclaimer: Please conduct your own research from the information above. I
do not guarantee that what was provided to me is accurate - testing
protocols change and individual situations are different.*

*Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the CELIAC List*
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