According to researchers at Penn State University, it may be possible to confirm a diagnosis of endometriosis with a simple blood test. As of now, the only way to do so is via laparoscopic surgery.
In this new study, published in the Journal of Proteome Research, the scientists performed a metabolic analysis on blood samples of two groups of mice, one with the disease, one without. Previous studies had indicated that the presence of endometriosis is related to changes in lipid metabolism. These earlier studies led researchers to investigate if a blood test to measure blood lipid levels could prevent surgery as a method of diagnosis confirmation in patients. It appears as if this study is suggesting just that. After reviewing the test results on both groups of the mice, which measured the disregulated lipids, including phosphatidylcholines, shingomyelins and triglycerides, the scientists found higher levels of several of the lipids in the blood of the mice with endometriosis than in the mice without the condition.
“Although further work would be needed to validate the results in humans, the study suggests that a simple blood test along with other clinical indicators could potentially be used to diagnose the disease,” the scientists said in a press release.
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