Rapid test to diagnose endometriosis developed by researchers at the University of Hull
The current average waiting time to be diagnosed is 8 years
Researchers at the Hull York Medical School at the University of Hull have developed a rapid urine test to diagnose women with endometriosis.
Reader in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Hull, Dr Barbara Guinn- along with a number clinicians- has identified proteins that are increased in the urine of women suffering with the condition.
Hannah Draper, Jane Allen, Keith Cunningham and Kevin Phillips are the clinicians involved in the project, either collecting samples, consenting and diagnosing patients.
Named "EndoTect", it will only take seconds to indicate whether the pain someone is experiencing is down to endometriosis.
At the moment, in the UK, the average waiting time to be diagnosed with the disease is 8 years, and the symptoms are often misdiagnosed or dismissed.
Dr Barbara Guinn told us:
"We look at a few different proteins, we look to see if they're elevated. If they are compared to creatinine- which tells us how concentrated your wee is- then we have a pretty good idea that you've got deep endometriosis.
"You would instead just do a simple wee test at the doctors, the sample would be sent off and analysed in a lab, and the test would just take a few days to get results. Instead of the current situation where people repeatedly go to the GP and eventually get referred, at the moment, that takes about 8 years."
But the University of Hull need to secure funding to ensure this urine test is validated so it can reach patients via their doctors surgery and Dr Guinn is finding this process challenging.
The process of validating the test involves assessing the biomarker and determining the range of conditions under which it will get the best results.
There are limited organisations that fund endometriosis research, and the field is competitive.
Dr Guinn said, "We were worried we missed something and, of course, when you look at the first 25 patients and you think there's something there, and then again with the next 25. We've now analysed 150 patient samples and there is a clear difference between patients with deep endometriosis and without."
According to national statistics, one in 10 women of reproductive age in the UK suffer from endometriosis, that number is 176 million worldwide.
The prevalence of endometriosis in women with infertility is as high as 50 per cent, in fact, it's the second most common gynaecological condition- after fibroids- in the UK.
Dr Barbara Guinn said, "When we do the test in the lab, it only takes 3-4 working days to look at all the proteins. That's a massive improvement on the current wait people have to go through."
The hope for the future is that the test will be widely available across the UK.