Individuals with coeliac disease may soon have a new, less burdensome option for diagnosis that doesn't involve consuming gluten, thanks to a groundbreaking blood test developed by Australian researchers.

The study, recently published in the journal Gastroenterology, revealed that a blood test targeting gluten-specific T cells can accurately diagnose coeliac disease, even in individuals who are on a strict gluten-free diet.

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition that affects about 1% of people in western countries, causing an inflammatory response in the small bowel when gluten is consumed. Traditionally, diagnosing the disease has required individuals to eat gluten, a process that can be uncomfortable and distressing.

Current diagnostic methods, such as blood tests and gastroscopy, involve weeks of gluten consumption and can lead to symptoms like diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and bloating. This requirement often deters individuals from seeking a diagnosis, resulting in many cases going undiagnosed or being diagnosed late.

Assoc Prof Jason Tye-Din, a senior author of the study, emphasized the challenges faced by individuals with undiagnosed coeliac disease and hailed the new blood test as a potential game-changer in improving diagnostic practices.

The research focused on measuring interleukin 2 (IL-2), an immune marker that spikes in the bloodstream of coeliac patients after gluten consumption. The study involved 181 volunteers recruited at Royal Melbourne Hospital, including individuals with coeliac disease, non-coeliac gluten sensitivity, and controls.

Using a new diagnostic system developed in collaboration with Novoviah Pharmaceuticals, the researchers found that the blood test could detect coeliac disease with up to 90% sensitivity and 97% specificity, even in individuals following a gluten-free diet.

While acknowledging the study's limitations, including the small sample size and lack of assessment in children and patients on immunosuppressants, experts in the field praised the research for its high quality and potential clinical impact.

Prof Peter Gibson from Monash University described the test as a major advancement in coeliac disease diagnosis, emphasizing its simplicity and potential for routine laboratory use. Assoc Prof Vincent Ho from Western Sydney University stressed the need for further validation and cost-effectiveness studies before the test can be widely implemented in clinical practice.

The innovative blood test offers hope for a more efficient and less invasive method of diagnosing coeliac disease, potentially eliminating the need for prolonged gluten exposure and associated discomfort.