In France, a study published in 2023 established that it took between 2 years and more than 10 years for a woman suffering from endometriosis to be diagnosed*. However, getting a diagnosis of endometriosis is essential to benefit from treatment to relieve pain. Diagnostic error can lead to physical complications – infertility, fatigue – and have an impact on the psyche. A new diagnostic tool, effective and non-invasive, has just been developed by a French company.
1. Endotest (endometriosis): what is the principle?
As explained in the file entitled A major innovation to reduce diagnostic wandering, published on the designer’s website, Ziwig, the Endotest is a new diagnostic tool for endometriosis. Its operation is based on the sequencing of specific genes, and the use of artificial intelligence to analyze the data collected. Thus, the Endotest makes it possible to accurately detect endometriosis by sequencing the microRNAs contained in saliva using a new technique, next generation sequencing (NGS). The Endotest aims to detect endometriosis more quickly and without surgical intervention. Thus, this new examination makes it possible to determine with almost certainty whether a woman presenting the symptoms of endometriosis really suffers from it. The diagnosis time thus goes from several years to a few days.
2. Endotest (endometriosis): how does it work?
To diagnose endometriosis using the Endotest, the doctor asks his patient to spit saliva into a tube. The doctor then shakes the tube to mix the saliva with the substances in the tube. Next, the sample is sent to a specific laboratory, which sequences the 109 microRNAs that can indicate the presence of endometriosis. Then, artificial intelligence comes into play and gives the test result. It is then sent to the doctor. The Endotest is recommended for women aged 18 to 43 who have symptoms of endometriosis but other non-invasive tests have been inconclusive.
3. Endotest (endometriosis): how effective is it?
The study Salivary MicroRNA Signature for Diagnosis of Endometriosis, published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine in 2022, which analyzed the effectiveness of the Endotest, concludes that the reliability of this tool is close to 100%. It is therefore more effective than the tests currently available for diagnosing endometriosis. Fifteen French medical establishments helped guarantee the reliability of clinical trials.
4. What are the advantages of Endotest?
According to Endometriosis: the diagnostic value of the Ziwig Endotest validated in a new study, published by Le Quotidien du Docteur, the advantages of the Endotest compared to current diagnostic methods are considerable. The first advantage is that the Endotest makes it possible to strongly suggest or rule out the diagnosis of endometriosis in a few days. And it screens for all forms of endometriosis. It is a hope for many women who suffer from this pathology. Other advantages result from this, notably the fact that women are treated and relieved more quickly. Getting a diagnosis of endometriosis faster also means receiving treatment for infertility without waiting several years. For a woman, knowing that her pain is not imaginary or due to a fatal illness also means having a better quality of life, and avoiding depression linked to diagnostic errors, or even incomprehension by the medical profession.
5. Endotest (endometriosis): when will it be available?
The article Global innovation in Lyon: the first saliva test to diagnose endometriosis, published by Lyon Capitale in November 2023, takes stock of the arrival of the Endotest in France. At the time of writing the article, the Endotest was subject to evaluation by the High Authority for Health (HAS). If the HAS gives a favorable opinion, the Health Insurance will study the terms of reimbursement for this examination. Because if this diagnostic tool turns out to be less expensive than the other examinations carried out (less reliable), according to the study Saliva microRNA signature to diagnose endometriosis: A cost-effectiveness evaluation of the Endotest®, published by BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, it still remains expensive. Thus, in Switzerland, where it is authorized and used, it costs around €900 per patient.
*Gynecology Obstetrics Fertility & Senology, Diagnostic times and course of patients suffering from endometriosis in France: a multicenter studypublished in February 2023
Sources
Read also :
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⋙ Endometriosis: signs to spot early
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