Enterolab & IgA Deficiency Questions
 

I keep thinking over my recent stool tests from Diagnos-Techs lab. My total intestinal SIgA was <69. Normal is 400-880, so it was very low. My oriental/acupuncturist doc explained it to me that it was low because my immune system has been fighting the bad bacterial overgrowth in my intestines for a long time.

I did Enterolab testing in April and everything was in normal range. Here are my results:

Antigliadin IgA 6 (Normal <10 units)
Antitissue Transglutaminase IgA 4 (Normal <10 units)
Microscopic Fat Score 47 (Normal <300 units)
Anti-casein IgA 4 (Normal <10 units)

I was off gluten for 7 months, but was still eating some hidden sources of gluten, like soy sauce with wheat. I'm wondering if my total stool secretory IgA was so low if I'm IgA deficient? If I am IgA deficient, what is the significance of my absorbtion test (quantitiative microscopic fecal fat score)?

Here is an article that I thought explained Selective IgA deficiency quite nicely, in English!

http://www.primaryimmune.org/pubs/book_pats/e_ch04.pdf

I'm wondering if someone who is fairly healthy, like me, could ask to be tested for IgA deficiency? What kind of doctor would I see to ask for the testing, and what exactly would I ask for? I'm particularly interested in the implications for future autoimmune diseases, though I don't have any now. Since my aunt has Sjogren's syndrome and lupus, I'm concerned about possible genetic connections.

Thanks, Claire

Either "Total IgA" or "IgA w/ 2 subsets" is the test you'd want, and any (willing) doctor should be able to order it. The DAN! doctor we saw for my daughter tested it without my asking, along with a lot of other immunological testing. You might want to consider a DAN! doctor, or integrative medicine type doctor. They seem so much more open to this sort of testing, and thinking preventatively/proactively.

Complete IgA deficiency, I think I read somewhere...maybe even the article you posted... is less than 7, but below range IgA can also affect other IgA test results (and health). It seems there are slightly different terms to distinguish them, but only complete/total IgA deficiency runs the risk for transfusion (my understanding anyway).

I believe I've read that Enterolab stool testing runs into the same problems with IgA deficiency as blood testing does. Have you read this, too? I think Anne has posted about it a few times, and I'm sure its probably on the Enterolab website somewhere.

My daughter shows total IgA (blood) just slightly below range at 70 (81-463). She also showed low Fecal sigA on a stool test from Doctor's Data 36 (40-204).

I know there are quite a few others who post here who have run into low IgA themselves, or in their children. It seems to be part of the picture for some of us.

Interestingly, I think some have posted that their children's IgA went up from one test to another...maybe after gfd (?), but I can't remember that for sure.

Cara

Thanks Cara - I was hoping you would reply to this!

I e-mailed Enterolab about this, hoping to get a response from Dr. Fine, but got a response from one of the nurses instead. Her response was that my low stool IgA wouldn't be caused by bacterial overgrowth and that I was probably IgA deficient. I had just ordered the egg, yeast, and soy panel from them, but when I realized I might be IgA deficient, I cancelled the test, as it would have probably not shown anything.

I'm curious if anyone reading this has had a similar experience of a low IgA on a stool sample?

Also, how do you e-mail Dr. Fine directly if you have a question?

Thanks, Claire

I don't know if there is a 'direct email' to Dr. Fine anymore via the website.

My guess is that it has just gotten too busy there to handle all the emails in person. It has been years since I sent one off to him, but maybe someone else has had more recent correspondence.

Cara