Point-of-care testing for coeliac disease antibodies — what is the evidence?

Newnham, Evan D; Tye-Din, Jason A

doi:10.5694/mja14.01397

Topics

To the Editor: The recent introduction of rapid point-of-care testing (PoCT) in Australian pharmacies to screen for coeliac disease has attracted controversy1 and provides an important opportunity to review the current literature.

behalf of the Coeliac Australia Medical Advisory Committee
1 Eastern Health Clinical School, Melbourne, VIC.
2 Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC.

Correspondence: evan.newnham@monash.edu

Competing interests:

Jason Tye-Din holds patents pertaining to the use of gluten peptides in therapeutics, diagnostics and non-toxic gluten for coeliac disease. He is a consultant to ImmusanT and a shareholder of Nexpep.

1. Corderoy A. Doctors warn chemists' coeliac disease test could put patients at risk of false diagnosis. Sydney Morning Herald 2014; 1 Oct. http://www.smh.com.au/national/doctors-warn-chemists-coeliac-disease-test-could-put-patients-at-risk-of-false-diagnosis-20141001-10nzpz.html (accessed Apr 2015).
2. Augurix. SimtomaX [product information sheet]. http://www.augurix.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Augurix-sheet-Simtomax.pdf (accessed Oct 2014).
3. Newnham E; Coeliac Australia Medical Advisory Committee. Position statement on: point of care testing for coeliac antibodies. Sydney: Coeliac Australia, 2014. http://www.coeliac.org.au/uploads/65701/ufiles/Position_Statements/PoCTMACFull.pdf (accessed Oct 2014).
4. Benkebil F, Combescure C, Anghel SI, et al. Diagnostic accuracy of a new point-of-care screening assay for celiac disease. World J Gastroenterol 2013; 19: 5111–5117. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i31.5111.
5. Mooney PD, Kurien M, Evans KE, et al. Point-of-care testing for celiac disease has a low sensitivity in endoscopy. Gastrointest Endosc 2014; 80: 456-462. doi: 10.1016/j.gie.2014.02.009.
6. Ludvigsson JF, Bai JC, Biagi F, et al. Diagnosis and management of adult coeliac disease: guidelines from the British Society of Gastroenterology. Gut 2014; 63: 1210-1228. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2013-306578.

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