Do my results mean I have celiac disease?

Dear Ask The Doctor: I recently had a test done that measured sIgA-114, and Gliadin IgA-56. Does this mean I have celiac disease? The results show that my gliadin IgA results were high and that the normal range is less than 25. If not celiac disease what does this mean?

Dear Jennifer:

People with celiac disease carry higher than normal levels of certain antibodies (anti-gliadin, anti-endomysium and anti-tissue transglutaminase). Antibodies are specialized proteins that are part of your immune system and work to eliminate foreign substances in your body. In people with celiac disease, their immune systems may be recognizing gluten as a foreign substance and producing elevated levels of antibodies to get rid of it.

In your case, your test results show the presence of antibodies to Gliadin which would suggest the diagnosis of Celiac Disease, however to confirm this, your doctor might ask for a sample of your intestine tissue to examine it microscopically.