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Soon a saliva test to diagnose endometriosis!

undefined undefined 11 janvier 2024 undefined 15h41

undefined undefined 16 janvier 2024 undefined 10h10

The Editor

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The High Authority of Health has just authorized access to an "Endotest" for diagnosing endometriosis, and is awaiting new data before considering full reimbursement by the social security system. A great step forward in the fight against the disease and detecting it more quickly, especially considering that it has long been neglected and poorly treated. 

Endometriosis affects one in ten women in France, which is 2.5 million people, according to the Ministry of Health and Prevention, but even today, it is diagnosed with an average delay of seven years. This could soon change with the release of a saliva test considered "promising" by the High Authority of Health (HAS). This "Endotest", developed by the Lyon-based biotech company Ziwig, has shown "very good diagnostic performance," the HAS emphasizes.

Endometriosis, characterized by the presence of uterine mucosa, also known as endometrium, outside the uterus, causes severe pain, especially during menstruation, and can sometimes have a broader impact: digestive disorders, infertility... If you think you may be suffering from it, you will soon be able to get this test and be diagnosed within a few days. Yahya El Mir, the founder of Ziwig, talks about a "revolution."


95% Diagnostic Accuracy

The Inserm (National Institute of Health and Medical Research) initially remained cautious about the results, partly because the first study, released a year ago, only included 200 people. It has now been extended to a larger sample size to provide more accurate data. The test has an accuracy rate of 95% and is considered a groundbreaking development in the field of endometriosis diagnosis.

More than 1000 women suffering from pelvic pain, and its evaluation by the HAS has shown a diagnostic accuracy of 95% for this test. However, further studies need to be conducted to assess its clinical utility in everyday practice.


Identifying biomarkers in saliva

So, how does this test work in practice? "It involves collecting a small amount of saliva, which contains microRNAs," explains Yahya El Mir. Thanks to saliva collection, it is possible to "get as close as possible to the biological functioning of cells and obtain information that cannot be obtained through imaging or surgery, and which allows for a reliable biological diagnosis." Biomarkers are identified in saliva, and then high-throughput sequencing is combined with the use of specialized artificial intelligence in the laboratory.

If the opinion of the HAS is followed by the government, women over 18 years old for whom endometriosis is "strongly suspected" will be able to undergo this complex and costly test for free. For now, access to it remains...This is what it looks like when you translate it for what you said: Here goes: " precocious », via a package known as « innovation », and is aimed at women for whom clinical examinations or medical imaging (such as ultrasound or MRI) do not explain persistent pain. The idea is to use this test before the step of laparoscopy, an invasive examination with risks."