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EPHect introduces physical examination standards to endometriosis research tools

27 Jul 2024

EPHect announces the publication of its fifth research tool: standards for conducting physical examination in endometriosis and pain research.

Dr Tinya Lin
University of British Columbia

Led by Drs Tinya Lin and Paul Yong, the work involves worldwide a collaboration among 26 academics, clinicians / surgeons, pain specialists, advocacy groups, and those with lived experience of endometriosis.

The Endometriosis Phenome Harmonisation Project Physical Examination standard (EPHect-PE) has been published by Fertility and Sterility1.

The EPHect-PE, which is available in a standard and minimal version, allows for the documentation of examination findings that provide insight into a non-surgical diagnosis of endometriosis as well as pain phenotyping. 

Professor Paul Yong
University of British Columbia

The physical examination standard for the Endometriosis Phenome and Biobanking Harmonisation Project (EPHect-PE) outlines a standardised approach to the examination for endometriosis and associated pain.  Thus, the EPHect-PE will help promote a clinical diagnosis of endometriosis and provide insight into the different ways that endometriosis can lead to pain. The standard is freely available from the EPHect website.

said Professor Yong.

EPHect 

The Endometriosis Phenome and Biobanking Harmonisation Project (EPHect) is a collaboration among investigators in endometriosis research. By standardising the way in which clinical and surgical data is collected, providing SOPs for collecting biospecimens, and how to conduct a physical examination, it is possible to compare data widely among research groups across the globe; and for these group to collaborate. The EPHect tools are free to use and are available on the EPHect website. 

Funding

Funding to develop this tool was provided by a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the World Endometriosis Research Foundation (WERF).

Reference
  1. Tinya Lin, Catherine Allaire, Sawsan As-Sanie, Pamela Stratton, Katy Vincent, G David Adamson, Lars Arendt-Nielsen, Deborah Bush, Femke Jansen, Jennifer Longpre, Luk Rombauts, Jay Shah, Abeesha Toussaint, Lone Hummelshoj, Stacey A Missmer, Paul J Yong; WERF EPHect Physical Examination Working Group. World Endometriosis Research Foundation Endometriosis Phenome and Biobanking Harmonization Project: V. Physical examination standards in endometriosis research. Fertil Steril 2024;122(2):304-15.