Relationship between androgen levels and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio in patients diagnosed with hirsutism

Aim: Hirsutism is a disease involving increased terminal hair growth in women with a male-type distribution pattern in androgen-sensitive areas such as the chin, upper lip, chest, abdomen, back, and thighs. Our review of the available literature revealed no previous studies concerning the role of the peripheral blood neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), an easily calculated and noninvasive marker, in hirsutism. The purpose of this research was to determine the relationship between androgen levels and NLR in female patients diagnosed with hirsutism. Material and Methods: The files of 392 patients presenting to the Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital due to hirsutism between 2018 and 2020 were included in this cross-sectional, retrospective study. Patients' hirsutism and menstrual cycles, age at menarche, number of pregnancies in the case of married women, number of living children, and history of infertility were investigated. Hyperandrogenemia findings, such as hair loss and acne, were also recorded. Patients' biochemical and complete blood count parameters were evaluated. Results: The mean age of the participants was 26.27 +/- 6.37 years (min-max: 16-48), and their androgen levels were statistically significantly associated with high-density lipoprotein, hemoglobin, hematocrit, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, and HbA1c levels (p<0.05). However, no significant relationship was found between patients' androgen levels and NLR values (p>0.05). Discussion: No significant relationship was determined in this study between androgen levels and NLR values in women diagnosed with hirsutism. Due to the limited numbers of previous similar studies, further research with larger patient numbers is now needed.