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Celiac.com 11/08/2005 - York Nutritional Laboratories has introduced to the US a simple, unique and revolutionary finger-stick rapid test kit designed to detect the antibodies associated with Celiac Disease and gluten intolerance. Celiac disease is a gluten intolerance enteropathy caused by a permanent intolerance to gluten and specifically to its protein fragment known as gliadin. The ingestion of this protein in people with genetic predisposition induces a severe compromise to the intestinal mucosa that is historically characterized by one hyperplasia of cryptas with total or subtotal atrophy of the intestinal microvilli. Though the definitive diagnosis of the celiac disease is based in characteristic histological changes observed in intestinal biopsies, the serological tests, such as the detection of antibodies anti-gliadins, anti-tTG and anti-endomysium, represent methods of analyses cheaper and less invasive to the detection of the disease. According to John Kernohan, Director of York Nutritional Laboratories, This new rapid test is a great improvement over our original cdSCAN, which we introduced back in 2002. Individuals now have a even quicker, more convenient and reliable means to determine if Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance is the culprit behind their ill-health. The new and improved cdSCAN is able to analyze a tiny sample of whole blood, serum or plasma for IgA/IgG/IgM antibodies against human Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) and IgA antibodies against gliadin. The kit can be utilized in either the comfort of ones own home or at a doctors office, and the results are available in approximately 10 minutes. In addition to the approximate 1 million Americans suffering from classical Celiac Disease, there are an equal number of individuals with silent or latent Celiac Disease who are unaware of their condition because they do not have the signs and symptoms typically associated with celiac disease. These individuals run the risk of developing full-blown celiac disease later in life and complications such as bowel cancer, infertility and autoimmune diseases, making proper and early diagnosis very important. Information about the cdSCAN is available from York Nutritional Laboratories, Inc. Please contact John Kernohan at (888) 751-3388.

Celiac.com 10/23/2013 - Celiac disease remains seriously under diagnosed in adults and, in many places, often takes years and even decades to diagnose. A team of researchers recently evaluated the usefulness of an on-site rapid fingertip whole blood point-of-care test (POCT) that would help primary workers to spot patients who might benefit from further diagnostic tests for celiac disease. The research team included Alina Popp, Mariana Jinga, Ciprian Jurcut, Vasile Balaban, Catalina Bardas, Kaija Laurila, Florina Vasilescu, Adina Ene, Ioana Anca and Markku Mäki. They are affiliated with the University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila,” the Institute for Mother and Child Care “Alfred Rusescu,” Central University Emergency Military Hospital “Dr. Carol Davila,” Str. Mircea Vulcanescu, in Bucharest, Romania and with theTampere Center for Child Health Research, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital, in Tampere, Finland. Because celiac disease often runs in families, the team tested 148 healthy relatives of 70 Romanian index cases with biopsy-proven celiac disease, for a total of 87% of all first-degree family members, with a median age 36 years, for the presence of circulating autoantibodies. In addition to using the POCT to measures blood erythrocyte self-TG2-autoantibody complexes on site, the team took blood samples for later evaluation of serum IgA-class endomysial antibodies (EMA). The then tested all EMA-positive samples for transglutaminase 2 antibodies (TG2-IgA). They conducted blind analysis of all serological parameters in a centralized laboratory with no knowledge of the on site POCT result. The team recommended endoscopic small intestinal biopsies for all POCT- or EMA-test positive subjects. Overall, 12 of 148 (8%) first-degree relatives showed positive results for the POCT, and all twelve tested serum EMA-positive. Only one other test subject showed a positive EMA test result. All remaining 135 healthy first-degree relatives showed negative results for both POCT and EMA. Four subjects who tested positive for both POCT and EMA were negative for TG2-IgA. Ten out of thirteen of the antibody-positive subjects consented to endoscopy. In all, eight out of nine first-degree relatives with celiac-type mucosal lesions of grade Marsh 2 (n = 3) or Marsh 3 (n = 6) showed positive results with the POCT. The three POCT-positive subjects refused endoscopy tested positive for both EMA and TG2-IgA. The fingertip whole blood rapid POCT could be a simple and cheap way to spot biomarkers and promote further testing for faster diagnosis of celiac disease. The team is calling for further studies in adult case-finding in specialized outpatient clinics and in primary care. Source: BMC Gastroenterology 2013, 13:115. doi:10.1186/1471-230X-13-115

Celiac.com 03/16/2011 - The market for gluten-free cosmetics and personal care products seemsto be enjoying some of the same rapid growth seen over the last severalyears by the gluten-free food industry. As a result, many companies are moving to create new, gluten-freeproducts and formulations for consumers who suffer from celiac diseaseor gluten intolerance. From 2007 to 2009, gluten-free cosmetics and personal care market sawthe launch of seventeen new gluten-free cosmetics and personal careproducts, while the number of gluten-free lip products rose from one to10, according to Mintel. Gluten-free, Vegan, vegetarian and cruelty-free are all making strong headway in the personal and beauty care industry. In 2007, a company called Symrise introduced a gluten-free alternativeto common wheat- and milk soy-derived proteins. Symrise's two,gluten-free, plant-based moisturizing ingredients, Hydromoist L andHydromoist O, are derived from lupine and oats, respectively. They makemake a suitable ingredient in certain shampoos. In 2009, color cosmetics and personal care manufacturer Logona NaturalCosmetics launched an all gluten-free line featuring 155 products. Natural skincare product creator Natural Bodycare has introduced a lineof more than 90 formulas is now 100-percent vegan and mostlygluten-free, with the exception of two products that contain Avenasativa (oat) kernel extract, which may have traces of gluten. From cosmetics to body and skin care products and ingredients, themarket for gluten-free personal care products is rapidly expanding.Because of this expansion, people with celiac disease and glutenintolerance can now enjoy personal body care products that just a fewyears ago would have been unavailable. It looks like more gluten-freepersonal care companies, products and developments are just around thecorner. Source: Mintel

Celiac.com 11/19/2008 - In a development that could benefit people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance, a team of researchers based in Spain and the U.K. has developed a faster, easier way to test food products for the protein that triggers the adverse reactions associated with celiac disease. Such a rapid gluten detection test for food products could help millions of people avoid the indigestion, diarrhea, bloating, and other symptoms that arise when they accidentally consume foods that contain gluten. The research team was made up of Alex Fragoso, Ciara O'Sullivan and other colleagues, and their results will appear in the December 15 issue of the journal Analytical Chemistry. Their development centers on the creation of a new sensor that detects antibodies to the protein gliadin, a component of the gluten found in wheat, rye, and barley. Laboratory tests showed that the new sensor is both highly accurate and far faster than the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), which is the current standard test for gliadin. The new test can detect gliadin in amounts as small as the parts per billion range, while an ELISA test requires a full 8 hours to do the same thing. Avoiding gluten enables people with celiac disease to avoid symptoms commonly associated with celiac disease and gluten intolerance. However, since gluten can hide in so many seemingly safe foods, such as soy sauce, canned soups, and licorice candy, it can be difficult to know for certain whether foods are in fact free of gluten free. A number of prepared foods clearly list gluten ingredients on their labels, but spotting its presence can be challenging at best, and is often outright hit or miss. A rapid, highly accurate test that can reliably spot gluten in food products promises to make it easier for manufacturers to label their products, and for people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance to avoid gluten and thereby enjoy better health.

Am J Gastroenterol. 2006;101(7):1597-1600. Celiac.com 08/14/2006 – In an effort to increase the diagnosis rate of celiac disease, researchers in Italy conducted a study to determine the accuracy of two of the new "at home" type rapid commercial celiac disease test kits--both of which require only one drop of whole blood to gain results. Both of the kits detect IgA-IgG anti-human-transglutaminase antibodies (anti-h-tTG) in serum and IgA anti-h-tTG antibody in a single drop of whole blood. The researchers analyzed the serum samples of 114 biopsy-confirmed celiacs, 120 healthy controls, 20 first-degree relatives of celiacs, and 75 diseased controls, and compared them to the standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay testing method. Whole blood samples were taken in 51 of the biopsy-confirmed celiacs and 100 controls. The serum-based test was found to be positive in all 114 celiac patients, or 100% sensitivity, and among the controls which included three with celiac disease there was 94.9% sensitivity. The accuracy of the blood drop-based assay testing was positive in 46 of the 51 celiacs tested, which equals 90.2% sensitivity. The accuracy, however, is actually higher because five of the patients who tested negative had total IgA deficiency, so the real sensitivity level is actually 95.8%. All 100 controls tested negative which equals 100% specificity. Given the high degree of accuracy of the two commercial test kits that were evaluated the researchers conclude that general practitioners should utilize these low cost kits during standard office visits whenever celiac disease is suspected.