The Vaginal Microbiome as a Tool to Predict rASRM Stage of Disease in Endometriosis: a Pilot Study
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Women’s Health
Women’s Health
Women’s health, a vital aspect of medical science, encompasses various conditions unique to women’s physiological makeup. Historically, women were often excluded from clinical research, leading to a gap in understanding the intricacies of women’s health needs. However, recent advancements have highlighted the significant role that the microbiome plays in these conditions, offering new insights and potential therapies. MicrobiomeSignatures.com is at the forefront of exploring the microbiome signature of each of these conditions to unravel the etiology of these diseases and develop targeted microbiome therapies.
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Microbes
Microbes
Microbes, short for microorganisms, are tiny living organisms that are ubiquitous in the environment, including on and inside the human body. They play a crucial role in human health and disease, functioning within complex ecosystems in various parts of the body, such as the skin, mouth, gut, and respiratory tract. The human microbiome, which is […]
Microbiome Signatures identifies and validates condition-specific microbiome shifts and interventions to accelerate clinical translation. Our multidisciplinary team supports clinicians, researchers, and innovators in turning microbiome science into actionable medicine.
Karen Pendergrass
What was studied?
The study focused on characterizing the gut and vaginal microbiome profiles of women with endometriosis compared to controls without the disease, exploring the potential of these profiles as less-invasive diagnostic tools for assessing the severity of endometriosis.
Who was studied?
Fifty-nine women participated in the study, including 35 with endometriosis and 24 control subjects. Rectal and vaginal samples were collected from all participants at two different periods of their menstrual cycle.
What were the most important findings?
Significant findings included variations in the distribution of vaginal community state types (CSTs) across different phases of the menstrual cycle and differences in gut and vaginal microbiome profiles between patients with varying stages of endometriosis as classified by the revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine (rASRM) stages. Machine-learning models could predict the severity of endometriosis (stages 1-2 vs. 3-4) based on these microbiome profiles, with Anaerococcus genus showing the highest predictive value.
What are the greatest implications of this study?
The study suggests that analysis of the vaginal microbiome could serve as a novel, less-invasive method to diagnose and predict the stage of endometriosis. This approach could potentially lead to earlier and more accurate diagnoses of endometriosis, improving treatment planning and outcomes for affected women.