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6 September 2016
Coeliac Australia funds crucial coeliac disease research
Coeliac Australia has announced almost $500,000 in funding to support three groundbreaking
Australian research projects in a bid to enhance the quality of life for people with coeliac disease.
Two projects undertaken at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research will investigate
important changes to the diet of people living with coeliac disease, which affects about 340,000
Australians.
The three research projects to receive funding are:
• Why does the gluten free diet fail?
• Determining the safety of oats for people with coeliac disease
• Can hookworms cure coeliac disease?
Coeliac Australia president Michael Bell said the studies had the potential to help make a real
difference to the health of people with coeliac disease who rely on a gluten free diet.
"Coeliac Australia is committed to supporting research towards a cure or other ethical forms of
treatment for people living with coeliac disease," Mr Bell said.
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune-like illness affecting one in 70 of the population. However, 80 per
cent of affected Australians remain undiagnosed and unaware they are living with the condition.
Typical symptoms include gastrointestinal upsets, anaemia and nutrient deficiencies, fatigue and
joint pain. If the disease is left untreated, it can cause chronic ill health and lead to liver disease,
cancer, osteoporosis and infertility.
Why does the gluten free diet fail?
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Half of all Australian adults with coeliac disease fail to get full healing of their bowel or suffer
persistent symptoms despite many years following a gluten free diet.
In this study, the institute’s coeliac disease research team, led by gastroenterologist Dr Jason TyeDin, will examine why the gluten free diet doesn’t always work.
Dietitian and lead investigator, Dr Emma Halmos, said: “The cause for ongoing intestinal
inflammation or symptoms in people with coeliac disease is often attributed to accidental or low
amounts of gluten exposure but why this happens and what causes it is poorly understood.
“People with coeliac disease can try their very best to follow a gluten free diet but it can still fail.
Identifying why and developing strategies to fix this is crucial to improving their health.”
Research has shown that persistent intestinal inflammation due to inadequately treated coeliac
disease is associated with an increased risk of development of other autoimmune diseases,
osteoporosis and cancer.
The comprehensive two-year study will examine the prevalence of gluten contamination in packaged
gluten free food, whether gluten free food handling practices in food outlets adequately meet
national standards and the adequacy of patient knowledge and adherence to the gluten free diet.
Determining the safety of oats in coeliac disease
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
In Australia and New Zealand oats are excluded from the gluten free diet, as they are potentially
harmful to some people with coeliac disease.
The institute’s coeliac research team will examine if there is a level of oats that can be safely
consumed by all patients with coeliac disease.
Investigator Dr Melinda Hardy said the study would be definitive and establish clinical guidelines and
approaches that may enable oats to be safely reintroduced into the gluten free diet.
“Oats is a nutritious cereal that is high in fibre, has a low glycaemic index and can broaden dietary
options in an otherwise considerably restrictive diet. It could be an excellent food option for people
with coeliac disease if we find enough evidence this can be done safely.”
The findings will also determine if a simple blood test can streamline identification of people with
coeliac disease who can safely consume oats and avoid the need for the traditional protracted threemonth oats challenge.
Can Hookworms Cure Coeliac Disease?
James Cook University, Townsville
Scientists from James Cook University, Townsville and the Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane are
continuing their exciting research into hookworm therapy in a bid to find a cure for coeliac disease.
A recent study suggested the parasites improved gluten tolerance in people with coeliac disease.
Now the research team is aiming to recruit 60 participants for a double-blinded, placebo-controlled
clinical trial to confirm the efficacy and feasibility of translating worm-based therapies.
The structure of the trial will allow the researchers to address whether hookworm infection will
allow people to gradually reintroduce gluten-containing foods into their diet, thereby permitting
tolerance to further accidental or deliberate exposure to gluten.
The studies will be essential for achieving the longer-term goal of developing medications able to
mimic the immunoregulatory response of the worm.
Gastroenterologist and Adjunct Professor of Medicine at James Cook University, Dr John Croese said:
“The development of hookworm-based therapies could have profound implications for the lifestyle
flexibility and the health of people with coeliac disease who currently rely on adherence to a strict
gluten-free diet but are always at risk of inadvertent gluten exposure”.
Coeliac Australia is the peak body to support people living with coeliac disease in Australia.
For media enquiries contact:
Sally Tobin
Coeliac Australia Communications Manager
0479 181 316
[email protected]