Çağlayan ATEŞ, Mustafa BAKIRCI
Kocaeli Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi - 2026;12(1):76-80
Objective: To evaluate the effect of age on the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), a marker of systemic inflammation, and other hematological parameters in women diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods: This retrospective study examined 280 women aged 18-43 who had been diagnosed with PCOS according to the Rotterdam criteria between May 2022 and May 2025. The patients were divided into four groups according to their age: Group 1 (18-24 years, n=100); Group 2 (25-30 years, n=130); Group 3 (31-35 years, n=37); and Group 4 (36-43 years, n=13). The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare neutrophil, lymphocyte, and NLR levels between groups. Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between age and inflammatory parameters. The independent effect of age on NLR was examined using multivariate linear regression analysis. Results: No significant difference in NLR levels was found between age groups (p=0.160). However, the neutrophil count was significantly lower in Group 3 than in the other groups (p=0.013). A weak negative correlation was found between age and neutrophil count (r=-0.142, p=0.024), but no significant correlation was found between age and NLR (r=0.084, p=0.162). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that age had no independent effect on NLR (beta=-0.088, p=0.156), whereas BMI positively affected NLR (beta=+0.176, p=0.005). Conclusion: In this cohort of women with PCOS, NLR did not show a significant association with age, whereas it was associated with BMI. These findings emphasise the importance of considering metabolic factors when evaluating the inflammatory process in PCOS.
