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Are Chances Of Having IBD High While Experiencing Some Symptoms And When A Sibling Has Also Been Diagnosed With It?

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Posted on Mon, 22 May 2023
Question: I just had my blood tested for Celiac Disease based on a sibling being diagnosed with it. My levels are high, which I know means it’s most likely I will also receive the diagnosis and have been researching all weekend trying to wrap my head around it. I’ve tried to make sense of my levels and can’t understand them by googling info. All the GP said was that they were “super high”. Does this have any correlation to how bad the damage may be? To how sensitive I will be? I don’t have any symptoms that at this point would’ve led me to seek a diagnosis. I’ve always had mild IBS type symptoms but not major pain, vomiting, diarrhea. There are probably symptoms that I will notice once I go gluten free. I just am really scared at this point and don’t feel like waiting till I can meet with a gastroenterologist to find out if “super high” means I’m super close to intestinal cancer or it’s just the way I react to gluten and the numbers don’t really mean I can’t/won’t heal. Here are what was on my report:

TG IgG ANTIBODIES: <0.8

TTG IgA ANTIBODIES: 30.9

GLIADIN IgG ANTIBODIES: 364.9

DEAMIDATED GLIADIN IgA ANTIBODIES: 143

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doctor
Answered by Dr. Ramesh Kumar (12 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Chances of having inflammatory bowel disease are very high.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for query sir,
The tTG-IgA test as per studies will be positive in about 98% of patients with celiac disease who are on a gluten-containing diet. So sensitivity of this test is quiet high.However protocol says that if blood test results suggest celiac disease, GP will recommend a biopsy of your small intestine to confirm the diagnosis.
Colonoscopy will be done and biopsy sample would be taken from your intestines for diagnosis.Only when biopsy is positive we would consider the patient to be celiac positive.
No it has nothing to do with cancer.
However sir final conclusion can only be given after reports of biopsy.However chances are high that you have a inflammatory bowel disease.
Please feel free to follow up.
Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Ramesh Kumar (1 hour later)
How high was my tTg-IgA score compared to normal? What do the two scores below that even mean? Do they correlate to how much damage there will be?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Ramesh Kumar (33 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
These tests reflects the chances of having celiac disease.Biopsy can tell the exact amount of damage.

Detailed Answer:
Hello again,
TTG IgA ANTIBODIES should be some what in between 2-6u/ml.Yours is almost 5 times more then normal. IgA protects against infections of the mucous membranes lining the mouth, airways and digestive tract.Increased level may activate the auto immune system of the body.Clinically it is seen that people with celiac disease often make antibodies that attack the enzyme Tissue transglutaminase therefore elevated levels are often seen in celiac disease.

Anti-gliadin antibodies are produced in response to gliadin, found in wheat : A positive (IgG-gliadin antibody) usually means gluten sensitivity usually associated with celiac disease.

As such normal levels may vary from lab to lab and country to country and which unit are they using.
My answer is based on detail given by you in your initial query-All the GP said was that they were “super high”.So if standard units are followed by your lab then IGA antibodies are 5 times the normal.However you should attach a printed copy of lab reports containing normal reference value.
No damage can be seen by colonoscopy. These anti bodies are just suggestive of fact that it can be a inflammatory bowel disease.Biopsy is confirmative test for that.
Feel free to follow up,
Regards
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Remy Koshy
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Answered by
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Dr. Ramesh Kumar

Gastroenterologist

Practicing since :1986

Answered : 2913 Questions

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Are Chances Of Having IBD High While Experiencing Some Symptoms And When A Sibling Has Also Been Diagnosed With It?

Brief Answer: Chances of having inflammatory bowel disease are very high. Detailed Answer: Hello, Thanks for query sir, The tTG-IgA test as per studies will be positive in about 98% of patients with celiac disease who are on a gluten-containing diet. So sensitivity of this test is quiet high.However protocol says that if blood test results suggest celiac disease, GP will recommend a biopsy of your small intestine to confirm the diagnosis. Colonoscopy will be done and biopsy sample would be taken from your intestines for diagnosis.Only when biopsy is positive we would consider the patient to be celiac positive. No it has nothing to do with cancer. However sir final conclusion can only be given after reports of biopsy.However chances are high that you have a inflammatory bowel disease. Please feel free to follow up. Thanks.