GoodGut, a biotechnology company specialising in digestive health solutions based on the intestinal microbiota and a member of Catalonia.health, is participating in a study being carried out at four primary care centres in the Girona Health Region to improve the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome. The project is being conducted at the Santa Clara de Girona, Anglès, Cassà de la Selva and Banyoles primary care centres, in collaboration with the Digestive Diseases Department of Trueta and Santa Caterina hospitals and the Girona Territorial Clinical Laboratory.
The study, which will include around 970 people with symptoms compatible with this condition, is assessing the incorporation of a non-invasive test developed by GoodGut based on faecal microbial markers. Irritable bowel syndrome affects approximately 11% of the European population, and its diagnosis is often delayed due to the need for multiple tests and medical visits to rule out other conditions.
In a previous phase, the use of this test enabled the diagnosis of 88,2% of patients in the sample and reduced additional tests in more than 70% of cases, as well as lowering the average diagnostic cost per patient. Building on these results, the current study is analysing its application from primary care with the aim of increasing the problem-solving capacity of primary care centres, reducing waiting lists and shortening diagnostic times.
The project will also assess the efficiency of the new diagnostic pathway, participants’ perceptions and the organisational impact of implementing the test. The initiative highlights the role of the intestinal microbiota as a key tool for achieving a more accurate diagnosis of digestive disorders and improving patients’ quality of life.
According to Mariona Serra, CEO of GoodGut, the link between irritable bowel syndrome and the intestinal microbiota represents “a major step towards a paradigm shift in the diagnosis of the disease.” “In this case, we expect the test to reduce costs, tests and diagnostic time by 45%, while also supporting personalised therapy based on quantitative information from the analysed microbial markers.”
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