Celiac Disease & Gluten Intolerance Research

Rates of celiac disease are four times higher today than they were just fifty years ago, according to the results of a new study by scientists at the Mayo clinic. In addition, the study showed that people with undiagnosed celiac disease died at rates four times higher than non-celiacs over the 45 year follow-up period.

Detecting heightened levels immune reactions to antigen(s) in food is important because scientists have credible reports of certain health disturbances, such as celiac disease, and some pre-malignant conditions, such as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), disappearing under a regimen of appropriate food restriction diets.

Fibroblasts are one of the most important components in inflammation and tissue remodeling process, and are thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders such as celiac disease.

According to the results of a recent study, complete recovery of intestinal mucosa occurs very rarely in patients with celiac disease, despite adherence to a gluten-free diet.

Researchers have found a significant correlation between antibodies to the flagellin CBir1 and HLA haplotypes DQ2.5 and DQ8, an important serologic marker for the detection of Crohn's disease, and particular genetic markers in patients at risk for celiac disease.

Results of a recent small population study done in Spain suggest that a gluten-free diet may change gut bacteria balance by decreasing beneficial bacteria and increasing detrimental bacteria. But how reliable is the data?

Recently, the British Journal of Nutrition reported that following a gluten-free diet may be detrimental to gut health, which may also affect immune health. This article discusses the signs of decreased gut health and what steps to take to make improvements.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that is triggered by gluten in the bloodstream, and is becoming increasingly common. Previously considered quite rare, it is now estimated to occur in 1 in 100-150 people in all societies except Japan. Physical activity fights against some of the lasting symptoms of celiac disease, but some of the symptoms inhibit physical activity.

Fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) are one of the tools currently of interest to celiac researchers looking into non-invasive techniques for assessing of intestinal damage in celiac patients.

People with clinical irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) suffer from biopsy-proven celiac disease at rates that are more than four times higher than in non-IBS control subjects, according to the results of a recent systematic review and meta-analysis conducted by Alexander C. Ford, MBChB, MD, MRCP, from Health Sciences Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and colleagues.

Not all gluten is equally offensive to celiacs, and some may be both well tolerated and useful for making better bread...

Currently, one of the more promising areas of celiac disease research looks to be in peptide-based therapies. One of the keys to creating an effective peptide-based therapy for celiac disease lies in identifying the gluten peptides that trigger intestinal T cell responses when people with celiac disease consume wheat, rye, or barley. A team of Italian researchers recently set out to do just that.

Historically, celiac disease has been only rarely reported in Asia. Due to the absence of reports, and since Asian diets are traditionally low in wheat, barley or rye, it has been taken as a given that Asian populations don't really suffer from celiac disease. Still, there have been no comprehensive studies undertaken to verify this notion.

Recently, a team of Mayo Clinic researchers conducted an assessment of the long-term outcome of undiagnosed celiac disease and found that undiagnosed celiacs have a 400% higher risk of death than seronegative subjects ("non-celiacs").

A team of Finnish researchers is calling for a change in the criteria for diagnosing celiac disease, based on their findings that gluten intolerant patients who do not have clinical celiac disease get similar benefits from a gluten-free diet, and respond to the diet about as well as patients who do have clinical celiac disease.

A team of Spanish researchers recently set out to determine rates and clinical status of gluten sensitive enteropathy (GSE) detected by mass blood screens. The researchers also sought to determine sensitivity of anti-transglutaminase (tTGA) and anti-endomysium antibodies (EmA) in diagnosis, and compliance with a gluten-free diet (GFD) and follow-up.

According to the latest findings by a Norwegian research team, the inner workings of a particular enzymatic reaction is helping scientists figure out how celiac disease develops.

A study published in Journal of Insurance Medicine has delineated clear economic benefits to diagnosing celiac disease on a national level using a managed-care approach.

In April, Bob Anderson, of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical research in Melbourne, will begin the initial phase of the first-ever trials for a celiac vaccine that, if successful, might just mean the end of gluten-free diets for those with celiac disease.

A recent study finds rates of celiac disease in Polish children are four times higher than estimated. Moreover, they found that symptoms in those diagnosed were typically absent, minimal or vague.