Blood Test Ends Gluten Challenge for Coeliac Disease Diagnosis

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Australian researchers developed a blood test that could spare 350,000 Australians from eating gluten just to get diagnosed with coeliac disease.

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Eliza Long had to deliberately make herself sick at age 11 to confirm her coeliac diagnosis - a traumatic experience that could soon be history.

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The current diagnosis process forces patients to eat gluten for weeks, causing severe diarrhea, pain, and bloating before doctors can confirm the condition.

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This new test mixes blood samples with gluten in a lab tube instead of requiring patients to consume the harmful protein.

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The breakthrough achieved 90% sensitivity and 97% specificity rates, detecting coeliac disease even in patients already following strict gluten-free diets.

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Researchers tested 181 volunteers aged 18-75, with lead author Olivia Moscatelli calling the team "thrilled" with the results.

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About 80% of people with coeliac disease worldwide remain undiagnosed because many avoid the unpleasant gluten challenge testing.

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Associate Professor Jason Tye-Din warns untreated coeliac disease can lead to osteoporosis, infertility, and even lymphoma cancer.

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The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute partnered with Brisbane's Novoviah Pharmaceuticals to develop this potentially life-saving diagnostic tool.

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Professor Peter Gibson from Monash University called it a "genuinely major step forward" while noting more studies are needed.

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The test could be available within two years, pending confirmation of accuracy across diverse populations.

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Millions of people worldwide might finally get diagnosed without enduring weeks of deliberate illness.

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