Abstract
Serum IgA antiendomysial antibodies (EmA) were found in 61 (87%) of 70 adults and children with untreated celiac disease, whereas IgA antigliadin antibodies (AGA) and IgA R1-antireticulin antibodies (R1-ARA) were positive in 71% and 47%, respectively, of the same patients. Two of the nine untreated celiacs negative for IgA EmA showed positivity for IgA AGA. While IgA AGA and R1-ARA disappeared in all the celiacs, tested one year after gluten-free diet, IgA EmA persisted at low titer in seven (18%) of these 38 subjects, although the jejunal biopsy showed a complete regrowth of jejunal villi. All the disease control patients as well as the blood donors tested were always negative for the three IgA antibodies. Our results state that the search for both IgA EmA and AGA gives the best results in the screening of celiac disease, since the positivity for at least one of these two antibodies allows identification with a 100% specificity of the 90% of untreated celiac patients.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Eterman KP, Feltkamp TEW: Antibodies to gluten and reticulin in gastrointestinal diseases. Clin Exp Immunol 31:92–99, 1978
Volta U, Cassani F, De Franchis R, Lenzi M, Primignani M, Agape D, Vecchi M, Bianchi FB, Pisi E: Antibodies to gliadin in adult coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis. Digestion 30:263–270, 1984
Unsworth DJ, Walker-Smith JA, Holborow EJ: Gliadin and reticulin antibodies in childhood coeliac disease. Lancet 1:874–875, 1983
Seah PP, Fry L, Rossiter MA, Hoffbrand AV, Holborow EJ: Anti-reticulin antibodies in childhood coeliac disease. Lancet 2:681–682, 1971
Lazzari R, Volta U, Bianchi FB, Collina A, Pisi E: R1 reticulin antibodies: Markers of celiac disease in children on a normal diet and on gluten challenge. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 3:516–522, 1984
Savilahti E, Viander M, Perkkio M, Vainio E, Kalimo K, Reunala T: IgA antigliadin antibodies: A marker of mucosal damage in childhood coeliac disease. Lancet 1:320–322, 1983
Unsworth DJ, Manuel PD, Walker-Smith JA, Campbell CA, Johnson GD, Holborow EJ: New immunofluorescent blood test for gluten sensitivity. Arch Dis Child 56:864–868, 1981
Seah PP, Fry L, Holborow EJ, Rossiter MA, Doe WF, Magalhaes AF, Hoffbrand AV: Antireticulin antibody: Incidence and diagnostic significance. Gut 14:311–315, 1973
Eade OE, Lloyd RS, Lang C, Wright R: IgA and IgG reticulin antibodies in coeliac and non-coeliac patients. Gut 18:991–993, 1977
Maki M, Hallstrom O, Vesikari T, Visakorpi JK: Evaluation of a serum IgA-class reticulin antibody test for the detection of childhood coeliac disease. J Pediatr 105:901–905, 1984
Volta U, Lazzari R, Bianchi FB, Lenzi M, Baldoni AM, Cassani F, Collina A, Pisi E: Antibodies to dietary antigens in coeliac disease. Scand J Gastroenterol 21:935–940, 1986
Kilander AF, Dotevall G, Fallstrom SP, Gillberg, RE, Nilsson LA, Tarkowsky A: Evaluation of gliadin antibodies for detection of coeliac disease. Scand J Gastroenterol 18:377–383, 1983
Friis SU, Gudmand-Hoyer E: Screening for coeliac disease in adults by simultaneous determination of IgA and IgG gliadin antibodies. Scand J Gastroenterol 21:1058–1062, 1986
Stahlberg MR, Savilahti E, Viander M: Antibodies to gliadin by ELISA as a screening test for childhood celiac disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 5:716–729, 1986
Volta U, Bonazzi C, Pisi E, Salardi S, Cacciari E: Antigliadin and antireticulin antibodies in coeliac disease and at onset of diabetes in children. Lancet 2:1034–1035, 1987
Chorzelsky TP, Beutner EH, Suley J, Chorzewska HT, Jablonska S, Kumar V, Kapuscinska A: IgA antiendomysium antibody. A new immunological marker of dermatitis herpetiformis and coeliac disease. Br J Dermatol 111:395–402, 1984
Beutner EH, Chorzelsky TP, Kumar V, Leonard J, Krasny S: Sensitivity and specificity of IgA-class antiendomysial antibodies for dermatitis herpetiformis and findings relevant to their pathogenic significance. J Am Acad Dermatol 15:464–473, 1986
Rossi MT, Kumar V, Lerner A, Heitlinger AL, Tucker N, Fisher J: Relationship of endomysial antibodies to jejunal mucosal pathology: Specificity towards both symptomatic and asymptomatic celiacs. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 7:858–863, 1988
Hallstrom O: Comparison of IgA-class reticulin and endomysium antibodies in coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis. Gut 30:1225–1232, 1989
Scott BB, Losowsky MS: The definition and diagnosis of coeliac disease. J R Coll Physicians 11:405–412, 1977
Rizzetto M, Doniach D: Types of “reticulin” antibodies detected in human sera by immunofluorescence. J Clin Pathol 26:841–851, 1973
Volta U, Lenzi M, Lazzari R, Cassani F, Collina A, Bianchi FB, Pisi E: Antibodies to gliadin detected by immunofluorescence and a micro-ELISA method: Markers of active childhood and adult coeliac disease. Gut 26:667–671, 1985
Volta U, Molinaro N, Fratangelo D, Bianchi FB: IgA subclass antibodies to gliadin in serum and intestinal juice of patients with coeliac disease. Clin Exp Immunol 80:192–195, 1990
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Volta, U., Molinaro, N., Fusconi, M. et al. IgA antiendomysial antibody test. Digest Dis Sci 36, 752–756 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01311232
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01311232