Ovarian reserve is preserved in Behçet's disease

To compare ovarian reserve with anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) levels, antral follicle counts (AFCs) and ovarian volume in patients with Behçet's disease (BD) and healthy subjects.

This study included 35 women with BD (mean age: 34.4 ± 5.3 years) and 35 healthy controls (mean age: 34.1 ± 6.0 years). Venous blood samples collected from groups on menstrual cycle Days 2-4 were analyzed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E₂ ), prolactin (PRL) and AMH levels. The AFCs and ovarian volumes were estimated by ultrasonography on the same day. The body mass index (BMI), duration and severity of the disease, medications, and number of children were recorded.

There was no statistically significant difference in the mean age, median gravida/para/abortus and the number of live births and mean BMI between the patient and control groups (P > 0.05). No statistically significant difference in the median FSH, LH, E2, PRL levels, right and left ovarian volumes, and right and left ovarian AFCs was observed among the patients and the controls (P > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the mean AMH levels (P = 0.468). Bonferroni correction showed no statistically significant correlation between AMH levels and age, BMI, FSH, LH, E2, PRL levels, right and left ovarian AFCs, right and left ovarian volume (P > 0.025) among the controls and the patients.

Our study results suggest that ovarian reserve is preserved in patients with BD. In addition, AMH levels of the BD patients were similar to levels of healthy subjects.