Need help with test results.
 

I have been having all sorts of a problems for example unclear thinking, pain in limbs, ear pain, headaches and anxiety since I came home from vacation. After about 2 weeks I noticed one of my eyes was bulging. I have had a CT and MRI and the only thing the doctors found was a slight thickening of the muscle that is associated with thyroid conditions such as Graves disease. Despite this all of my thyroid tests (TSH, T3, T4 and antibodies) have been perfectly normal. I have had an AnA test which came back positive (1:100) and a Gluten test (dont know which one) and IgG was 261 (which someone said is quite high) despite transglutaminase being negative and IgA being only 8,4. Doctors dont know what to do and tell me this might just be Graves disease. If anyone really smart out there could just reassure me this is all right and nothing can be done, that would be amazing.

Thank you. :)
K

Hi AwesomeApples

Welcome to NeuroTalk :).

Among other things I am a non-clinical immunologist in my day job.

Usually Graves Disease presents with high levels of T3 and T4, low levels of TSH and antibodies specific for the TSH receptor.

If you would like to post the test results here (or by PM if you would prefer) I would be happy to have a look at them and offer you my thoughts.

All the best.

Results
 

Wow! Thanks for a quick reply. Yeah so my grandmother had lupus and my aunt had a rare disease called scleroderma. I just think it's peculiar to have Graves disease without any sign of Graves in the bloodtests. TSH and fT4 was within range and CRP < 3. AnA 1:100, ENA neg. TRAb, anti TPO and anti TG well within range. Gluten IgG 261, transglutaminase and IgA within range. ANCA and gluten IgA within range. ferritin on the low side but nothing serious. Unilateral exopthalmus, 3mm bulging. Bulging and weak lymph node under mandibular angulation, left side.
I have more results, but I hope this will suffice as everything else was pretty normal.

Thank you
K

Was the "gluten" test--
 

--an Anti-gliadin IgG assay (the one that was 261)?

The Anti-gliadin IgG is usually considered the most sensitive but least specific of the gluten assays. It is often the first to be abnormal in those with gluten sensitivity, but can be elevated in other conditions as well. (It's usually done with an anti-gliadin IgA, anti-transglutaminase IgA, and total IgA as well--the latter is done due to the fact that total IgA can be low in certain hereditary conditions and skew the other IgA results.)

Adding to what glenntaj wrote:

CRP is a general measure of inflammation, either acute or chronic - your level looks fine to me.

AnA (anti-nuclear antibody) levels are elevated in some auto-immune diseases. Though there is some variation between labs, a 1:100 titre is low and is probably nothing to worry about.

Thank you so much for your responses. I understand everything more clearly now. I just had an endoscopy and we are determining whether it is celiac related. My doctor still thinks Graves is the culprit but in the meantime I'll have to wait.