Assessment of Hematological Parameters and the Role of Anti Müllerian Hormone in Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: A Case Control Study

Abstract

Background: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a multifactorial endocrine disorder among women, often associated with chronic low-grade inflammation. This study evaluates the diagnostic relevance of inflammatory markers, including Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), Platelet-to- Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR), and Total White Blood Cell (WBC) count, along with other hematological parameters such as Hb, RBC count, PCV, MCV, MCH, MCHC and hormonal marker Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH).
Methods: A case-control study was conducted with PCOS patients and healthy controls. Significant difference in the haematological and inflammatory markers was analysed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, and the correlation of all significant markers was evaluated by Spearman's correlation.
Results: AMH levels showed a significant elevation in the PCOS group with the P value < 0.00001; NLR also showed a highly significant difference between PCOS and control groups (p < 0.00001), with a strong positive correlation (rs= 0.7442, P = 0) with AMH levels in PCOS patients. While Total WBC Count exhibited moderate significance (p = 0.03436), it highlighted a potential link to inflammation. PLR demonstrated a trend of elevation in PCOS cases but lacked statistical significance (P=0.10522). Hemoglobin levels, Packed Cell Volume(PCV), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH), and Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) did not show any significant differences between the groups.
Conclusion: NLR and AMH emerged as reliable markers for PCOS, with NLR strongly correlating with AMH and highlighting the role of systemic inflammation in PCOS pathophysiology. AMH showed strong significance as a diagnostic marker (p < 0.00001). However, Total WBC Count and NLR hold promise as cost-effective markers for assessing PCOS-associated inflammation. These findings emphasize the potential of haematological parameters in the diagnostic strategies of PCOS to improve patient outcomes.