BEITL Klara

Premature Ovarian Insufficiency and Autoimmunity - a Prospective Case-Control Study

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is defined as the cessation of ovarian function before the age of 40, with symptoms similar to those of menopause. 

Once the diagnosis of POI is made, other investigations with regard to coexisting disorders should be performed. Although in the majority of cases the etiology of POI is considered to be idiopathic, an eventual underlying cause should be evaluated. Among others, this concerns the examination of possible autoimmune diseases.

The prevalence of autoimmune disease in POI remains unknown. Moreover, it is still unclear whether and how women suffering from POI should be screened for autoimmunity. Above all, the development of specific noninvasive diagnostics is considered one of the most important issues for future research on POI and autoimmunity. 

To the best of our knowledge, the actual prevalence of autoimmune diseases in healthy premenopausal women is unclear. Similarly, whether women with POI carry a higher autoimmunity burden or are more likely to have autoimmune disease has not been determined to date. In order to establish a risk profile for POI patients, data on a healthy comparison collective, which have been missing to date, are required. Therefore, in this prospective case-control study, we focus on autoimmunity markers routinely assessed in our POI patient population and compare them to a healthy female patient population without POI. Thereby, we want to contribute to the growing field of literature on this important topic. 

Methods and Skills: 

Clinical studies; retrospective and prospective randomized studies; metaanalysis

Publications:

Beitl K, Dewailly D, Seemann R, Hager M, Bünker J, Mayrhofer D, Holzer I, Ott J. Polycystic ovary syndrome phenotype D versus functional hypothalamic amenorrhea with polycystic ovarian morphology: A retrospective study about a frequent differential diagnosis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 13: 904706, 2022

Beitl K, Holzer I, Körmöczi GF, Hein AV, Förster J, Seemann R, Ott J, Ulm B. Maternal bleeding complications in pregnancies affected by red blood cell alloimmunization. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 271: 271-277, 2022

Beitl K, Rosta K, Poetsch N, Seifried M, Mayrhofer D, Soliman B, Marculescu R, Ott J. Autoimmunological serum parameters and bone mass density in premature ovarian insufficiency: a retrospective cohort study. Arch Gynecol Obstet 303: 1109-1115, 2021

and several co-authorships