Objective:The aim of this study was to elucidate the etiology and treatment of primary ovarian insufficiency, which is of unknown cause in 95% of the cases.Materials and Methods:Thirty patients aged 18-40 years who presented to Dicle University Faculty of Medicine Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology between June 2012 and January 2014 and were diagnosed as having primary ovarian insufficiency based on their clinical and endocrinologic data, and 30 healthy controls were included in this study.Results:No significant differences were found between patients with primary ovarian insufficiency and control subjects in demographic data and lipid profile levels, thyroid- stimulating hormone, prolactin, and glucose. However, the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, total antioxidant status, total oxidant status, and oxidative stress index were significantly higher in patients with primary ovarian insufficiency than in control subjects. In the correlation analysis, follicle-stimulating hormone exhibited a positive correlation with total oxidant status, oxidative stress index, and the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (r=0.573** p<0.001, r=0.584** p<0.001, r=0.541 p<0.001, respectively) and correlated negatively with total antioxidant status (r=-0.437** p<0.001).Conclusion:The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, total oxidant status, and oxidative stress index levels are elevated in primary ovarian insufficiency. Therefore, anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory treatment might be administered to patients in the early stage of primary ovarian insufficiency. However, larger studies are needed to clarify whether these elevated levels are a cause or a consequence of primary ovarian insufficiency.

To investigate the levels of growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) in primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) and to evaluate its correlation with hormonal, biochemical, and inflammatory indicators. Materials and Methods: This comparative, cross-sectional study was carried out in 60 cases consisting of 30 healthy controls (mean age: 29.2 ± 5.0 years) and 30 patients with POI (mean age: 28.9 ± 6.8 years). Two groups were compared in terms of serum levels of glucose, lipids, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), prolactin (PRL), GDF-15, and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratios (NLR). Correlation between GDF-15 and NLR with these variables was sought. Results: Serum levels of FSH (p < 0.001), LH (p < 0.001), NLR (p < 0.001) and TSH (p = 0.020) were increased significantly in POI group. In POI patients, a correlation was detected between levels of GDF-15 levels and PRL (p = 0.049). Conclusion: The authors suggest that NLR can serve as a promising marker for diagnosis and follow-up of POI, whereas GDF-15 seems not to have such a potential.