Symptoms Of Selective IgA Deficiency And Related Conditions

Gluten Intolerance

An individual with selective IgA deficiency may also be affected by celiac disease, which is characterized by gluten intolerance. Individuals affected by immunoglobulin A deficiency are between ten and twenty times more likely than an unaffected individual to develop celiac disease. The unique connection stems from the fact a test for celiac disease may turn up a false negative result in an individual affected by immunoglobulin A deficiency and celiac disease.

An immunoglobulin A deficiency can cause the tests for anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies, anti-endomysium antibodies, and anti-deamidated gliadin peptide antibodies to come up negative when the antibodies are actually present in an individual's body. Patients who have an immunoglobulin A deficiency should be tested for IgG anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies instead of IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies because the test performed on immunoglobulin A will not provide accurate results.