title: Clinical significance of serum follistatin levels in the diagnosis of ovarian endometrioma and benign ovarian cysts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the clinical significance of serum follistatin levels in women with an ovarian endometrioma.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective study of 89 women, 56 with an ovarian endometrioma (endometrioma group) and 33 with a benign ovarian cyst (control group) who underwent laparoscopic excision. Age, parity, body mass index, serum CA-125, serum CA 19-9, and serum follistatin levels were determined for all participants and evaluated as potential prognostic factors prior to laparoscopic cystectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in demographic factors between the endometrioma group and the control group. However, serum follistatin levels were significantly higher in the endometrioma group (9350 ± 895 pg/mL vs. control group 725 ± 72 pg/mL, p < 0.05). The optimal diagnostic cut-off values (sensitivity and specificity) of CA-125, CA 19-9, and follistatin for ovarian endometrioma were 23.2 IU/mL (82.14% and 72.73%), 30.14 IU/mL (45.28% and 87.50%), and 2350 pg/mL (53.7% and 60.61%), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the increased serum follistatin levels in patients with ovarian endometrioma, CA-125 was determined to be a more sensitive and specific marker than follistatin for the diagnosis of ovarian endometrioma and endometriosis.
authors.affiliation: Dr Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ömer
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Ant
authors.affiliation: Dr Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gülnur
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Özakşit
authors.affiliation: Dr Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali İrfan
authors.initials: Aİ
authors.lastname: Güzel
authors.affiliation: Dr Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sabri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cavkaytar
authors.affiliation: Dr Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaba
authors.affiliation: Dr Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: dronurtopcu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hasan Onur
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Topçu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D038681:Follistatin / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D061212:Memory, Episodic; D010048:Ovarian Cysts / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D010049:Ovarian Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D012372:ROC Curve; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen; D038681:Follistatin
keywords: CA 19-9; CA-125; diagnostic marker; endometriosis; follistatin