SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate serum afamin levels in the first and third trimesters in preeclampsia. METHODS: Serum samples from 118 patients in the first and third trimesters were analyzed. Serum samples were collected from pregnant women who had enrolled in the first trimester. Blood was then collected from pregnant women who had developed preeclampsia and from healthy controls in the third trimester. The collected blood samples were resolved for analysis, and serum afamin concentrations were measured in the first and third trimesters. Preeclampsia and healthy controls were compared. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the control and preeclampsia groups in terms of age, body mass index, and smoking. Afamin levels in the first and third trimesters were higher in the preeclampsia group than in the control group (p<0.05). In the subgroup analysis of the preeclampsia group, afamin levels were higher in the early-onset preeclampsia group than in the late-onset preeclampsia group in the first and third trimesters (p<0.05). In the receiver operating characteristic analysis afamin levels were 96.23 ng/mL in the first trimester and 123.57 ng/mL in the third trimester as cut-off values for preeclampsia. CONCLUSION: Serum afamin levels are useful for predicting preeclampsia in the first trimester in pregnant women and can be used in clinical practice as a supportive biomarker for the diagnosis of preeclampsia in the third trimester. Meta-analyzes are needed to investigate the effect of afamin levels in the prediction and diagnosis of preeclampsia and to determine the cut-off value.

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the association between lower urinary tract symptoms and polycystic ovary syndrome. METHODS: A total of 180 women were enrolled in this prospective study. Demographic data, body mass index, waist circumference, modified Ferriman–Gallwey scores, biochemical parameters, ultrasonographic findings, and maximum urinary flow rate (Q max) were analyzed. In addition, the Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Scored Form questionnaires were evaluated for each subject. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was calculated as 23.78±3.04 years, which was similar for both groups (p=0.340). Body mass index, waist circumference, Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Scored Form, and modified Ferriman–Gallwey scores were significantly higher in group 2 (p<<0.001). Hyperandrogenism, lipid profile, and glucose metabolism disorders were more frequent in group 2 (p<<0.05). Bladder capacity (Q max), bladder wall thickness, and post-void residual volume values were similar in both groups (p>>0.05). CONCLUSION: In our study, a close relationship was observed between polycystic ovary syndrome and lower urinary tract symptoms. In this context, we think that a detailed urinary system evaluation of women with polycystic ovary syndrome is extremely important.

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: In this study, the hormone profile, lipid profile, and inflammatory parameters of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome were compared with those of non-polycystic ovary syndrome patients to determine predictive markers in young polycystic ovary syndrome patients who have not yet had children. METHODS: Patients’ age, height, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, degree of hirsutism, and ultrasound findings were recorded. Hormone profile, lipid levels, ratio of complete blood count parameters, monocyte/high-density lipoprotein ratio, and total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein ratio were compared between groups. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were found between groups in terms of age, weight, waist circumference, body mass index, and dysmenorrhea (p>0.05). A significant relationship was found between the height and the degree of hirsutism in the groups (p<0.05). It was found that prolactin, total testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels were statistically significantly higher in the polycystic ovary syndrome group compared to the control group. The polycystic ovary syndrome group had hemoglobin, leukocytes, lymphocytes, neutrophils, platelets, and statistically higher ratios of total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein, Low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides/high-density lipoprotein. No statistically significant relationships were found between homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein ratio between the groups (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in systemic immune inflammation index values between the groups. CONCLUSION: Polycystic ovary syndrome patients are at risk for short- and long-term complications, and the use of the total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein, Low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides/high-density lipoprotein ratios in clinical practice during the follow-up of these patients may allow easy follow-up for patients. The health status of polycystic ovary syndrome patients can be objectively determined by tracking these outcomes at regular intervals.