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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Researchers found that adults with untreated celiac disease have significantly higher levels of inflammatory proteins in their blood — and those levels track closely with gut damage severity. After a year on a gluten-free diet, most proteins dropped, but nine remained elevated, suggesting some patients may still have lingering inflammation even while on treatment.
A new study published in Gastroenterology suggests that a blood-based protein panel could offer a noninvasive window into gut damage in celiac disease (CeD). Researchers from the University of Oslo analyzed serum samples from 161 adults with untreated, biopsy-confirmed CeD and 40 healthy controls, measuring 92 inflammatory proteins using a targeted proteomics platform. Of those, 24 were elevated in untreated CeD patients — and several tracked closely with both celiac antibody levels and the severity of intestinal damage on biopsy.
After a median of 12.4 months on a gluten-free diet, most inflammatory protein levels fell — but nine remained significantly elevated, pointing to possible persistent low-grade inflammation even in treated patients.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: Celiac disease diagnosis currently relies on invasive biopsies. A validated blood-based inflammatory signature could improve diagnostic accuracy, reduce the need for repeat endoscopies, and help clinicians identify patients who aren't fully responding to dietary treatment.
