Patent ID: 7399598

Claim:
A method for determining whether a biochemical marker is an auxiliary marker for diagnosing endometriosis in a subject, comprising the steps of: (i) detecting a level of a biochemical marker selected from the group consisting of alpha 1-antitrypsin, fragments of alpha 1-antitrypsin and a combination of both, in a serum specimen from said subject, wherein said fragments have an approximate molecular weight of one of 36 kDa, 45 kDa, or 52 kDa; and (ii) comparing said level of said biochemical marker in the serum specimen with a baseline level of said biochemical marker, said baseline level of said biochemical marker determined through measuring levels of said biochemical marker in serum specimens from patients with endometriosis, wherein said subject has an age from 18 years to 40 years, and if the level of said biochemical marker in the serum specimen from the subject is greater than the baseline level of said biochemical marker, said biochemical marker is an auxiliary marker for diagnosing endometriosis.