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

Wed, 7 Feb 1996 Elizabeth Welch <[log in to unmask]>writes:

Has anyone heard of IgA antibody testing done using saliva ("spit test")? A
friend who suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome
has as her primary care provider a naturopathic physician, who has had an
"adrenal stress index" done by a lab called DiagnosTech in Kent, Washington.
 Included in the test readings was one for IgA antibodies with written
information stating that elevated levels (13-15 being normal) was indicative
of celiac disease.  The spit test was done at a time when the friend had been
eating very little gluten, and her level was way below normal.  Has anyone
else heard of this method of testing antibody levels?  Are the results
reliable (assuming the test was done at a time when gluten ingestion was at a
normal (not gluten-restricted level)?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hello,

Saw your message on the Celiac Digest.  I know about that test--I have had
the secretory IgA test from Diagnos-Techs(it is specific for anti-gliadin
antibodies).  Dr. Busher, M.D. of Bellevue, WA regards it as an excellent
test.

13-15 is not considered normal.  Re-read the results.   On my test it says:

        Positive: > 15 U/ml
        Borderline: 13 - 15 U/ml
        Negative: < 13 U/ml

Mine was 61.  My two teenage children had 5 and 7.

My ex-husband(John Thoreson) is very good friends with Dr. Ilias, the
research biochemist who developed this test and owns Diagnos-Techs.  I asked
if my levels would ever drop to normal after being off gluten for awhile.  I
was wondering about getting re-tested to see if it would indicate how good I
was at keeping gluten out of my diet. I was told was that if my diet was
scrupulously gluten free, my IgA levels would drop, but probably not below
the 40's.  When the levels get high, they never drop to normal ranges again.
Thus, from what I have learned, it isn't possible to get 'normal' readings
if you have ever had gluten intolerance.  Once elevated, always elevated
secretory IgA readings from this test.  All people have a titer of
anti-gliadin anti-bodies on this test, because gluten causes a small amount
of villi damage in everybody.  Apparently, the test readings tend to
cluster.  The bulk of readings are in the ranges are normal, in the single
digit range.  Some people have borderline readings, and then there are
virtually no readings from late teens to the early 40's.  Celiacs often have
readings in the 80's.

I asked hard questions about the reliability of this test, and was assured
that it is highly reliable, with essentially no false positives(well below
1%).  I can't remember the rate of false negatives, which is the question
you are asking, but it is also very low.  I asked repeatedly about the
reliability of this test and was assured it is highly reliable.  It is a
relatively new test. There was a meeting of gastroenterologists in Seattle
not long ago and Dr. Ilias presented his test to them, and it was well
received.

lw <[log in to unmask]>       Don't talk unless you can improve the silence
                                        --Laurence Coughlin