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Deamidated Gliadin Peptide (DGP) IgG

An antibody test for celiac disease that looks for IgG antibodies to a modified gluten protein. It is often chosen when a person has low or missing IgA.

AI-verified against cited sources. Awaiting expert reviewAlso called DGP IgG, DGP-IgGLOINC 58710-5

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What it is

Gliadin is a protein in gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye. In celiac disease, a gut enzyme called tTG changes (deamidates) gliadin, and the immune system makes antibodies against the changed form. This test measures IgG antibodies to deamidated gliadin peptides in your serum. Results are reported in units, and the ranges depend on the kit your lab uses.

Why it matters

Celiac blood tests help a clinician decide whether a small-bowel biopsy is needed. The tTG-IgA test is usually the first choice. The 2020 ESPGHAN guideline advises against DGP for first-line testing. An IgG test such as DGP IgG is useful when total IgA is low or missing, because IgA-based tests can miss celiac disease in that case. A positive result makes celiac disease more likely. It is not enough alone, and a biopsy is usually needed to confirm it.

If it’s high

A high DGP IgG means IgG antibodies to a modified gluten protein were found. This makes celiac disease more likely. A small-bowel biopsy is usually the next step to confirm it. Some people without celiac disease also have a positive result. Some people with celiac disease test negative, especially if they already avoid gluten.

Common causes

  • Celiac disease
  • Dermatitis herpetiformis, an itchy, blistering skin rash linked to gluten
  • A positive result in a person who does not have celiac disease

What can help

  • Ask your clinician before cutting out gluten, because a gluten-free diet can make celiac blood tests look negative
  • Ask whether a small-bowel biopsy or other celiac tests, such as tTG-IgA and total IgA, are needed
  • If celiac disease is confirmed, ask about working with a dietitian who knows celiac disease

Usual ranges

What labs print as the reference range, by who was tested. Ranges differ a little between labs, so the range on your own report is the one your result is judged against.

For adults: 0–20 U/mL. Source: Mayo Clinic Laboratories.

Mayo Clinic Laboratories ELISA categories (weak positive includes 30.0)

  • Negativebelow 20 U/mL
  • Weak positive20 to under 30 U/mL
  • Positive30 and above U/mL

What can affect your result

  • Gluten intake: levels can fall, and the test can turn negative, on a gluten-free diet
  • IgA deficiency: this IgG test is used when IgA is low, since IgA-based tests can be falsely negative
  • Age: Labcorp recommends a celiac profile that includes DGP for children younger than 2
  • The kit used: units and cutoffs differ between assays
  • A gluten-free diet before the test can make the result negative even when celiac disease is present (Mayo).
  • Low or missing IgA (IgA deficiency) makes IgA-based tests unreliable, so an IgG test such as this one is used in that case.
  • Units and cutoffs depend on the kit. Mayo uses an ELISA, and Labcorp uses a Thermo Fisher EliA fluoroenzyme immunoassay, so numbers from different labs cannot be compared directly.
  • Labcorp rejects hemolyzed, lipemic or bacterially contaminated samples.

Levels may begin to fall after a strict gluten-free diet starts and keep falling with time, but how fast varies from person to person.

When to talk to a clinician

Talk with a clinician about long-lasting diarrhea, belly pain or bloating, unexplained weight loss, low iron or anemia that does not improve, or an itchy blistering rash, especially if a celiac test is positive. In children, slow growth is another reason to check in. Get urgent care for severe belly pain or signs of dehydration.

Questions you could ask

  • Why was a DGP test added in my case?
  • Do I need a small-bowel biopsy to confirm this?
  • Should my total IgA and tTG-IgA be checked too?
  • Should I keep eating gluten until all testing is done?

Questions people ask

Why was a DGP test added to my celiac tests?

DGP IgG is often used when IgA is low or missing, because IgA-based tests can miss celiac disease then. Some labs also include it in celiac profiles for children under 2. Guidelines differ. The 2020 ESPGHAN guideline advises against DGP as a first test, but says an IgG-based test is indicated if total IgA is low or undetectable. Labcorp recommends a profile that includes DGP for children under 2.

Should I stop eating gluten before the test?

No. Antibody levels can fall on a gluten-free diet, which can make results look negative when celiac disease is present. Talk with your clinician before changing your diet.

What does a weak positive mean?

Some labs use extra categories. At Mayo Clinic Laboratories, 20.0 to 30.0 U is called weak positive and above 30.0 U is called positive. Cutoffs differ by kit. Your clinician will weigh the result with your other celiac tests and symptoms.

Show the science and sources

For clinicians and researchers

DGP assays use synthetic deamidated gliadin peptides as the antigen. The 2020 ESPGHAN guideline recommends against DGP-IgG and DGP-IgA for initial testing and favors total IgA with tTG-IgA; only if total IgA is low or undetectable is an IgG-based test indicated. The 2023 ACG update names tissue transglutaminase antibodies as the example test for initial screening. Mayo's ELISA reports negative below 20.0 U, weak positive 20.0-30.0 U and positive above 30.0 U for all ages. Labcorp measures DGP IgA and IgG by Thermo Fisher EliA fluoroenzyme immunoassay in its celiac profiles and recommends a profile that includes DGP for children under 2. Cutoffs, units and categories are kit-specific and not interchangeable. Antibody levels can fall on a gluten-free diet, and a negative result in someone who has already stopped gluten does not exclude celiac disease. Total IgA should be known when interpreting IgA-based tests. ARUP uses a multiplex particle-based assay (PMAT) with a 0.00-4.99 FLU interval, which is not interchangeable with U. Labcorp reports result LOINC 58710-5 (units), Mayo reports 47394-2 (presence) and ARUP reports 63459-2 (immunoassay units).

LOINC 58710-5 (primary), 63459-2, 47394-2. Specimen: serum.

Sources

  1. Gliadin (Deamidated) Antibody, IgG, Serum (test DGGL), Mayo Clinic Laboratories
  2. Celiac Antibodies Profile tTG IgA, tTG IgG, DGP IgA, DGP IgG, and Total IgA (test 164010), Labcorp
  3. Exploring Celiac Disease (testing options), Labcorp
  4. European Society Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Guidelines for Diagnosing Coeliac Disease 2020, Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) (2020)
  5. American College of Gastroenterology Guidelines Update: Diagnosis and Management of Celiac Disease, American Journal of Gastroenterology (ACG) (2023)
  6. Deamidated Gliadin Peptide (DGP) Antibody, IgG (test 0051359), ARUP Laboratories
  7. LOINC codes and long common names verified with the NLM Clinical Tables LOINC search, U.S. National Library of Medicine

AI-verified against cited sources. Awaiting expert review. Last reviewed 2026-10-03. How we build and check these pages.

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