Time to Diagnose Endometriosis: Current Status, Challenges and Regional Characteristics-A Systematic Literature Review.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review of observational studies
PubMed 39373298 · doi:10.1111/1471-0528.17973
What was done
A systematic search of MEDLINE (via PubMed) and Embase was conducted for primary randomized trials, non-randomized trials, and observational studies published since 2018 that reported time to endometriosis diagnosis. Two independent reviewers screened articles without population or comparator restrictions, excluding case reports, secondary publications, and grey literature. Eligible publications were evaluated for time to diagnosis, diagnostic methods, study design, country, and risk of bias.
What was found
Seventeen eligible publications were identified, all of which were observational studies. Reported times to diagnosis ranged from 0.3 to 12 years. Variations in delay corresponded to geographical location, patient characteristics, and the specific definition used for time to diagnosis (overall, primary, or clinical delay). Study quality ranged from poor to good.
Why it matters
Diagnostic delay remains a persistent challenge in endometriosis management worldwide, highlighting the need for standardized diagnostic metrics and targeted physician-directed interventions.
Limits
All 17 included studies were observational. The search was restricted to literature published since 2018 with English titles/abstracts. The abstract does not provide numerical breakdowns by country or specific definition, and note that study quality across the literature ranged down to poor.