Young women with PCOS had significantly lower flow-mediated dilatation (P<0.001) and higher levels of ET-1, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, and hsCRP compared to controls.
Case-Control (n=50)
Do young women with PCOS have impaired endothelial function and increased inflammatory markers compared to healthy controls?
Young women with PCOS exhibit endothelial dysfunction and increased markers of inflammation and endothelial activation, which correlate with hyperandrogenemia and insulin resistance.
p-value: p=<0.001
BACKGROUND: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) carry a pattern of cardiovascular risk factors. Endothelial dysfunction and chronic inflammation are early findings in the atherosclerotic process. The purpose of the study was to investigate the coexistence of active inflammation markers and endothelial dysfunction in young women with PCOS, and their relationship with metabolic and hormonal abnormalities of the syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five young women with PCOS and 25 controls of similar age and body mass index (BMI) were studied. Endothelial function was assessed by flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) on the brachial artery and smooth muscle cells injury was excluded by nitrate-induced dilatation (NID). Plasma levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were measured. Hormonal and metabolic profiles were determined in both groups. RESULTS: Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) was statistically lower in PCOS (P 1 mg L(-1) (P = 0.02). Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) was negatively related to hsCRP (r = -0.512, P = 0.015); ET-1 was positively related to free androgen index (r = 0.27, P = 0.05) and negatively to sex hormone-binding globulin (r = -0.465, P = 0.022); sVCAM-1 was positively related to total testosterone (r = 0.431, P = 0.036); hsCRP was positively related to BMI (r = 0.647, P = 0.001), and negatively related to FMD (r = -0.512, P = 0.015), quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) (r = -0.499, P = 0.018), and MATSUDA index (r = -0.445, P = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates that endothelial dysfunction coexists and is influenced by the presence of increased serum levels of inflammation and endothelial activation markers in young women with PCOS. These parameters appear to be interrelated with hyperandrogenaemia in this insulin-resistant population.
Diamanti‐Kandarakis et al. (Tue,) conducted a case-control in Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (n=50). Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) vs. Controls of similar age and BMI was evaluated on Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) (p=<0.001). Young women with PCOS had significantly lower flow-mediated dilatation (P<0.001) and higher levels of ET-1, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, and hsCRP compared to controls.