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Objectives: Diagnosis of coeliac disease based on serology only has been allowed since 2018 in Finland for adults meeting specific criteria. We studied the patient experiences and perceptions of this novel diagnostic option. Methods: Altogether 194 adult patients were questioned on socio‐demographic and health-related characteristics, quality of life and various coeliac disease-related issues. The results were compared between patients diagnosed with intestinal biopsy or based on serology only. Results: Altogether 69 (36%) of the patients were diagnosed without duodenal biopsies. They were younger (median 43 vs. 51 years, p = 0.046), diagnosed more recently (2021 vs. 2020, p < 0.001) and more often in primary health care (78% vs. 43%, p = 0.001), had fewer esophageal symptoms at diagnosis (17% vs. 30%, p = 0.046) and considered the diagnostic process easier (49% vs. 30%, p = 0.032) than those diagnosed by duodenal biopsy (n = 125). The no-biopsy group received less often dietician follow-up (4% vs. 17%, p = 0.012), reported more persistent symptoms (36% vs. 21%, p = 0.026) and experienced more stress due to the diet (68% vs. 47%, p = 0.039). Symptom persistence or stress were not associated with year of diagnosis or dietician follow-up. The groups were comparable in socio-economic characteristics, general health, quality of life, diagnostic delay, dietician guidance at diagnosis, and dietary adherence. Conclusions: The non-invasive approach resulted in de-centralized diagnosis and easier patient-experienced diagnostic process of coeliac disease, but was associated with increased risk for persistent symptoms and stress due to gluten-free diet. These results highlight the significance of appropriate patient guidance and support regardless of the diagnostic strategy. KEY SUMMARY: Established knowledge on this subject Finland was the first country to allow the diagnosis of coeliac disease without duodenal biopsies and based on serology only to selected adult patients. Feasibility of no-biopsy diagnosis of coeliac disease for adults has been debated globally. Patient perceptions and acceptance of the diagnostic process are important as coeliac disease is treated with life-long, strict gluten-free diet. New findings of this study One-third of adult coeliac disease patients reported being diagnosed without duodenal biopsies, based on serology only in the period 2019–2022. No-biopsy diagnoses were made more often outside hospital settings and the patients found the diagnostic process less challenging than those diagnosed based on biopsy findings. No-biopsy diagnosis was associated with more common persistent symptoms and stress due to gluten-free diet, and less common dietician follow-up. The findings highlight the significance of adequate patient support and guidance regardless of diagnostic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives:A significant fraction of celiac disease patients suffer from persistent symptoms despite a long-term gluten-free diet (GFD) and normalized small bowel mucosa. The commonly suggested reasons, such as inadvertent gluten-intake or presence of other gastrointestinal disease, do not explain the symptoms in all these patients. Recently, alterations in intestinal microbiota have been associated with autoimmune disorders, including celiac disease. This led us to test a hypothesis that abnormal intestinal microbiota may be associated with persisting gastrointestinal symptoms in treated celiac disease patients.Methods:Duodenal microbiota was analyzed in 18 GFD-treated patients suffering from persistent symptoms and 18 treated patients without symptoms by 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing. The celiac disease patients had been following a strict GFD for several years and had restored small bowel mucosa and negative celiac autoantibodies. Their symptoms on GFD were assessed with Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale.Results:The results of several clustering methods showed that the treated celiac disease patients with persistent symptoms were colonized by different duodenal microbiota in comparison with patients without symptoms. The treated patients with persistent symptoms had a higher relative abundance of Proteobacteria (P=0.04) and a lower abundance of Bacteroidetes (P=0.01) and Firmicutes (P=0.05). Moreover, their microbial richness was reduced. The results indicated intestinal dysbiosis in patients with persistent symptoms even while adhering to a strict GFD.Conclusions:Our findings indicate that dysbiosis of microbiota is associated with persistent gastrointestinal symptoms in treated celiac disease patients and open new possibilities to treat this subgroup of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction : Celiac disease is characterized by an abnormal immune activation driven by the ingestion of gluten from wheat, barley, and rye. Gluten-specific CD4 + T cells play an important role in disease pathogenesis and are detectable among peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Areas covered : This review summarizes the use of celiac disease patient PBMCs in clinical applications focusing on their exploitation in the development of diagnostic approaches and novel drugs to replace or complement gluten-free diet. Expert opinion : The most used PBMC-based methods applied in celiac disease research include ELISpot and HLA-DQ:gluten tetramer technology. ELISpot has been utilized particularly in research aiming to develop a celiac disease vaccine and in studies addressing the toxicity of different grains in celiac disease. HLA-DQ:gluten tetramer technology on the other hand initially focused on improving current diagnostics but in combination with additional markers it is also a useful outcome measure in clinical trials to monitor the efficacy of drug candidates. In addition, the technology serves well in the more detailed characterization of celiac disease-specific T cells, thereby possibly revealing novel therapeutic targets. Future studies may also reveal clinical applications for PBMC microRNAs and/or dendritic cells or monocytes present among PBMCs.