Australian researchers hope test is a ‘game-changer’ for diagnosing those following a strict gluten-free diet
Coeliacs may soon no longer need to eat large amounts of gluten – the very thing suspected of making them sick – to get an accurate diagnosis.
Australian research published on Tuesday in the journal Gastroenterology showed a blood test for gluten-specific T cells had a high accuracy in diagnosing coeliac disease, even when no gluten was eaten.
Around 1% of people in western countries have coeliac disease, an autoimmune condition in which gluten causes an inflammatory reaction in the small bowel.
Currently, every approved method to diagnose it requires people to eat gluten, the paper said.
