🩸 A major step forward in celiac disease diagnosis

May was Celiac Awareness Month, a time to highlight the challenges faced by those living with this autoimmune condition. Now, just weeks later, a major development offers new hope.
Researchers at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, in partnership with Novoviah Pharmaceuticals, have announced a breakthrough blood test that can detect celiac disease without the need for gluten exposure, a major shift from the traditional diagnostic process.
For years, patients suspected of having celiac disease have had to undergo a “gluten challenge,” consuming gluten for weeks despite severe symptoms, just to confirm their diagnosis. This new test, by measuring gluten-specific immune responses in the blood (specifically IL-2 levels), could eliminate that step.
With reported sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 97%, this innovation could lead to faster, safer, and more accurate diagnoses, especially for those already following a gluten-free diet.
This is still under clinical evaluation, but the progress is promising, and a strong reminder of how science continues to improve quality of life.
🔗 The Guardian article(https://lnkd.in/gghPKURu)