Incipient ovarian failure and premature ovarian failure show the same immunological profile

PROBLEM: Incipient ovarian failure (IOF) is characterized by regular menstr ual cycles, infertility and a raised early-follicular FSH in women under 40 . IOF might be a precursor or a mitigated form of premature ovarian failure (POF). Disturbances in the immune system may play a role in ovarian failur e. METHOD OF STUDY: Autoantibodies and lymphocyte subsets were determined in 3 POF patients, 50 IOF patients, and 27 controls. RESULTS: The prevalence of autoantibodies did not differ between the groups . There was a statistically significant difference in lymphocyte subsets be tween the control group and the POF group, with the IOF group taking an int ermediate position. We found a decrease in percentage of T-suppressor cells with a rise in T-helper/T-suppressor cell ratio, a decrease in natural kil ler cells, and an increase in B lymphocytes and HLA-DR positive T cells. CONCLUSIONS: These data support the concept that IOF is a mitigated form of POF. The question remains whether these changes are the cause or the conse quence of the ovarian failure.