Tissue Tranglutaminase Test - IgA

The Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Test is a diagnostic blood test for Coeliac disease. Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disorder that primarily affects your gut. Autoimmune disorders are diseases where your body attacks itself. Tissue transglutaminase is an enzyme that helps fix all the damage in your body. People who have the coeliac disease often make antibodies that attack the tissue transglutaminase enzyme. They are known as anti-tTG antibodies.

People with coeliac disease have issues with their small intestine and complain of diarrhoea, bloating, gaseous distension, anaemia, and growth issues. Coeliac disease is triggered by gluten. Gluten is a protein found in grains like wheat, rye, and barley. If you have coeliac disease, consuming gluten may be harmful to your health.

Coeliac disease can lead to certain complications like malnutrition, osteoporosis, infertility, and cancer of the intestine. Since coeliac disease is an autoimmune disorder, it may also cause other autoimmune disorders like thyroid disease, type 1 diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome and autoimmune liver disorders.

The Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Test is one of the multiple tests used to diagnose coeliac disease and to monitor the prognosis of the disease along with its treatment. The Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Test measures the presence of IgA antibodies against gluten in your blood. People with coeliac disease are allergic to gluten, and IgA antibodies are formed as a result of the body’s immune response against tissue transglutaminase.

Studies show that 1 in every 96 individuals suffer from coeliac disease in India. It is a far more common problem than is recognised in India. Research states that the Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Test is used for the diagnosis of coeliac disease with high specificity and sensitivity that is well suited for use in tropical countries like India.

Coeliac disease, Gluten-sensitive conditions

The Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Test measures the anti-tTG IgA antibodies in your blood. Antibodies are substances that your immune system produces in response to any pathogen like viruses and bacteria that enter the body. These antibodies are proteins specific to tissue transglutaminase. There are three types of immunoglobulins or antibodies - immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin M (IgM), and immunoglobulin A (IgA). Based on their development at different stages after infection, these immunoglobulins are formed.

The Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Test focuses on the total number of IgA antibodies.

The Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Test is prescribed for all age groups and genders. It helps identify the following health conditions - 

• People with coeliac disease, malabsorption, and/or malnutrition - People with symptoms of these diseases are often hard to identify. The symptoms are usually nonspecific and vary in presentation. Some symptoms are mild, and some may go unnoticed for a long time until they worsen or occur sporadically. 
• People with digestive symptoms - If you have any of the following symptoms, the doctor may prescribe Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Test.
• Abdominal pain
• Abdominal gaseous distension
• Bloody stools
• Flatulence
• Chronic diarrhoea
• Chronic constipation
• Greasy, foul-smelling stools
• Nausea and vomiting
• People with the following signs and symptoms -
• Easy bruising and/or bleeding
• Iron-deficiency anaemia that is not responding to iron supplements
• Bone and joint pain
• Mouth ulcers
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Defects in dental enamel
• Infertility
• Osteoporosis
• Children with the following symptoms - 
• Delayed development
• Digestive tract symptoms like nausea, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea
• Short stature
• Failure to thrive

Some people with coeliac disease may also suffer from dermatitis herpetiformis, a medical condition that causes itchy blisters on the skin. This disease also increases your risk of developing lymphoma, a type of cancer.

This test is not a part of a routine check-up and only needs to be done when prescribed by a doctor. Based on your symptoms, your doctor may repeat the Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Test every 3-6 months. The Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Test helps monitor the prognosis of coeliac disease and the effectiveness of the treatment.

The Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Test takes a sample of your blood for testing.

Before the Test

This test does not require any preparation from your end. You need to ensure that you eat a regular diet before your Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Test. Your diet must include gluten, as avoiding gluten before the test may not provide an accurate result of potential gluten sensitivity.

During the Test

It is a simple blood test that will get over in 5-10 minutes. You do not need to prepare for the

test in any way.

After the Test

There are no restrictions after the Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Test. You can resume normal activity.

The Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Test report measures anti-tTG IgA antibodies formed in the blood.

The Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Test results only show the presence or absence of the anti-tTG IgA antibodies.

The normal values and reference ranges of the test may vary from lab to lab. Please refer to the ranges mentioned in the report and consult a doctor to understand the interpretation of lab reports.

If you test positive for the Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Test-

• A positive antibody test result indicates that you have coeliac disease. You may need to undergo a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis.

If you test negative for the Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Test -

• A negative antibody test result indicates that you may not have coeliac disease.
• If you have already been diagnosed with coeliac disease, then a follow up the negative result on the Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Test could mean that your gluten-free dietary therapy is effective.
• You may get a false-negative result if you do not possess the IgA antibody or you have an IgA antibody deficiency. Studies show that people with coeliac disease are 10-15 times more prone to having IgA deficiency.
• You may get a negative result if you have not consumed gluten in the past few weeks to months before getting the test done.

Consult your doctor to interpret your results correctly and get the right kind of treatment.