Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a global health concern for women of reproductive age, as 6.5% of women worldwide are affected by this syndrome. PCOS is marked by hyperandrogenism, anovulation, menstrual abnormalities, and polycystic ovaries. Metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury are considered to be systemic toxicants/human carcinogens and seem to have devastating effects on humans, even at minimal exposures. One of the probable aetiological factors for PCOS has been identified as oxidative stress. In view of the probable associations among oxidative stress, metal toxicity and PCOS, the present study examined the role of heavy metals in the generation of oxidative stress among females. This prospective study included 106 women (56 women diagnosed with PCOS and 50 women who were not diagnosed with PCOS as control women). There were no significant differences in the sociodemographic characteristics between the two groups except for the irregularity of menses and the presence of acne. The serum As, Cd, Pb, and Hg levels increased and the serum glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels diminished significantly in the PCOS group compared to the control group at P < 0.001. The SOD levels were negatively correlated with the As and Pb levels at P < 0.05. Additionally, the PCOS group exhibited a strong negative correlation between the GSH and As levels (P < 0.01), GSH and Pb levels (P < 0.05) and GSH and Hg levels (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the As levels were positively correlated with increased levels of Cd, Pb and Hg among PCOS women. Significant positive correlations were observed between Pb and Cd and between Cd and Hg at P < 0.001. The outcome of the study provides clear insight into the role of metal-induced oxidative stress, which plays a vital role in the pathophysiology underlying PCOS and suggests the use of these markers as prognostic tools to reduce the consequences of high-risk exposure to these metals among females.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a global health concern in women of reproductive age as 1/15th women worldwide, is affected by this syndrome. PCOS is marked by hyperandrogenism, anovulation, menstrual abnormalities, and polycystic ovaries. Metals like arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury are considered as systemic toxicants/human carcinogens and seems to have devastating effect on the human, even at minimal exposure. One of the probable etiological factor for PCOS identified is oxidative stress. In view of the probable association between oxidative stress, metal toxicity and PCOS, the present study evaluated the role of heavy metal in generation of oxidative stress among females. This prospective study included 106 women (56 women diagnosed with PCOS and 50women who were not diagnosed with PCOS as control women). There was no significant changes in the sociodemographic characteristics between the two groups except with the irregularity in menses and presence of acne. Levels of serum As, Cd, Pb, Hg increased and serum GSH and SOD levels diminished significantly in PCOS group compared to control at P<0.001. SOD was negatively correlated with As& Pb at P<0.05. Additionally, PCOS group exhibited a strong negative correlation between GSH and As (P<0.01), GSH and Pb (p<0.05) and GSH and Hg (P<0.01). Furthermore, As correlated positively with increased levels of Cd, Pb and Hg among PCOS women. A significant positive correlation was determined between Pb & Cd and Cd & Hg at P<0.001. The outcome of the study provides clear insight of the role of metal induced oxidative stress that plays avitalrole in the pathophysiology underlying PCOS and suggestive of the use of these markers as prognostic tools to circumvent the consequences of high risk exposure to these metals among females.