Blood Test Can Tell Celiac from Non-Celiac Patients By Cytokine Levels

[Scott Adams]

ImmusanT, Inc., the company working to develop a therapeutic vaccine to protect HLADQ2.5+ patients with celiac disease against the effects of gluten, presented data that shows a way to tell the difference between celiac disease (CeD) and non-celiac gluten-sensitive (NCGS) based on cytokine levels.

Professor Knut Lundin, University of Oslo, presented the data at United European Gastroenterology (UEG) Week 2017.

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[Gluten-free-01]

I have to admit I’ve read their press release twice and I still don’t understand if their aim is to differentiate celiac disease patients and NCGS patients or differentiate celiac disease patients and everyone else (including NCGS people). In other words, I don’t understand if they would be able to diagnose only celiac using the new method or diagnose both celiac and NCGS.

Press release: Open Original Shared Link

This paragraph is particularly confusing to me:

'The presentation, “Increase in plasma interleukin(IL)-2, IL-8, and IL-10 from 2 to 6 hours on oral gluten challenge differentiates between celiac disease (CeD) and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) in patients on gluten-free diet (GFD)” detailed results from a study done in collaboration with the University of Oslo that characterized changes in circulating levels of cytokines caused by gluten in CeD and NCGS patients. Specifically, the study evaluated IL-2, IL-8 and IL-10 in plasma after gluten ingestion in CeD and NCGS subjects on GFD using highly sensitive assays. Gluten induced mucosal changes in 5 of 19 treated CeD patients and mobilized T cells in 12 of 15 evaluated patients, while no signs of symptomatic response were seen in “gluten-sensitive” patients. Elevations in IL-2, IL-8 and IL-10 were significantly increased in CeD compared to NCGS, with IL-2 being the most sensitive.'