Negative Celiac Tests

At my last oncologist visit, we discussed the connection between myeloma and celiac disease (gluten intolerance). Because one of my sons has celiac disese, he ordered a few extra tests to be drawn the very next day. Here are those results:

Test Name	Result	Ref Range
Endomysial Antibody IgA	Negative	Negative
Gliadin Antibodies IgA	< 1.0	< 20.0 U
Gliadin Antibodies IgG	< 1.0	< 20.0 U
Tissue Transglutaminase IgG	3.0	< 20.0 U
Tissue Transglutaminase IgA	7.3	< 20.0 U

The tests labeled "gliadin antibodies" are also labeled "deamidated gliadin."

The first test, Endomysial Antibody IgA (EMA) is considered very specific for celiac disease, with almost no false positives or false negatives according to a Canadian study.

All tests were performed in a Mayo Clinic laboratory.

It appears that I DO NOT have celiac disease, although there are still two unresolved questions:

• I had been on a gluten-free diet for two months before these tests were drawn. Should I have eaten wheat before the tests, as a "gluten challenge"?
• Is it still possible that I have a subclinical case of celiac disease that causes inflammation if I eat gluten?

If the answer to either question is "yes," then I should continue the gluten-free diet. Otherwise, maybe it doesn't matter. It's a healthy way to live, but it's a lot of work and it's hard to eat out.


Recent lunch: Organic swiss chard with pistachios and cranberries, organic polenta, organic Braeburn apple, organic medjool dates.