Non-Invasive Stool Test to Diagnose Endometriosis and Help Reduce Disease Progression

Endometriosis, a painful condition impacting nearly 200 million women globally, occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside its usual location, such as on the intestines or the abdominal lining. This abnormal growth typically leads to bleeding, pain, inflammation, and infertility. On average, it takes about seven years to diagnose endometriosis, and it is often misdiagnosed as a bowel condition. The delays in diagnosis, coupled with the reliance on invasive diagnostic methods and ineffective treatments, highlight the urgent need for better management of this condition. Now, researchers have made promising discoveries that could pave the way for a non-invasive stool test and a new treatment option for endometriosis.

Earlier research conducted on mice by scientists at Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, TX, USA) and their collaborators indicated that the microbiome—communities of bacteria within the body—and their metabolites may play a role in the progression of endometriosis. In the current study, researchers focused on the microbiome's involvement by comparing the bacteria and metabolites in the stools of women with endometriosis to those of healthy women. They found notable differences between the two groups. Specifically, they identified a combination of bacterial metabolites unique to women with endometriosis, including 4-hydroxyindole, a compound produced by beneficial bacteria. Women with endometriosis had lower levels of this metabolite compared to those without the condition. Additionally, extensive research revealed that administering 4-hydroxyindole to animal models of endometriosis effectively prevented the onset and progression of inflammation and pain associated with the disease.

The findings, published in the journal Med, suggest that the stool metabolites found in women with endometriosis could form the basis for a non-invasive diagnostic test, as well as a potential therapeutic approach to slow disease progression. Interestingly, the metabolite profile discovered in endometriosis patients mirrors that seen in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), hinting at a possible link between the two conditions. This research supports the idea that the microbiome plays a role in both endometriosis and IBD. The team continues to work on developing a non-invasive stool test for diagnosing endometriosis and is conducting further studies to assess the safety and effectiveness of 4-hydroxyindole as a potential treatment for the condition.

“These findings are very exciting,” said Dr. Chandni Talwar from Baylor. “There are studies in animal models of the disease that have shown specific bacterial metabolite signatures associated with endometriosis. Our study is the first to discover a unique metabolite profile linked to human endometriosis, which brings us closer to better understanding the human condition and potentially identifying better ways to manage it.”