Polycystic ovary syndrome and obesity do not affect vascular parameters related to early atherosclerosis in young women without glucose metabolism disturbances, arterial hypertension and severe abnormalities of lipid profile

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and obesity on vascular parameters related to early atherosclerosis (VP-EA) [brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD), carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and carotid arterial compliance (CAC)] in women with minor cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs). Twenty-five young women with PCOS and 23 eumenorrheic women matched for body mass index (BMI) were studied. The women were subdivided according to BMI and PCOS status, and comparisons were done between PCOS and Control group, regardless of BMI, and between Obese and Lean group, regardless of the presence of PCOS. Insulin resistance was higher in PCOS-group than in control-group and in obese-group than in lean-group. The median of all VP-EA evaluated were similar between PCOS-group and Control-group [FMD: 6.6 versus 8.4% (p = NS); CIMT: 48.0 versus 47.0 mm.10-2 (p = NS); CAC: 6.2 versus 5.6N-1.m4.10-10 (p = NS)] and between obese-group and lean-group [FMD: 7.8 versus 6.6% (p = NS); CIMT: 48.0 versus 47.0 mm.10-2 (p = NS); CAC: 5.7 versus 6.3N-1.m4.10-10 (p = NS)]. These results suggest that PCOS and obesity do not affect VP-EA in women with minor CVRFs.

Early Biomarkers of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Obese Adolescent Girls with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

“…However, our NW-NonPCOS and OB-NonPCOS group sample sizes are comparable with other pediatric (43) and adult (9, 10, 27, 50, 54) cross-sectional studies. Although selection bias of NW-NonPCOS and OB-NonPCOS could be contributory, there was no known family history of PCOS in our NW-NonPCOS subjects, and similar to the general US population, most of our OB-NonPCOS subjects had some family history of obesity, diabetes or CVD.…”

Obesity, but not polycystic ovary syndrome, affects circulating markers of low-grade inflammation in young women without major cardiovascular risk factors

“…42,44 As for the inflammatory molecules, data on the relationship between PCOS and carotid intima-media wall thickness (cIMT), a marker of preclinical atherosclerosis, are not conclusive. In a previous study, 25 in this same cohort of women, we have demonstrated that by adopting stricter diagnostic criteria and excluding major CV risk factors 25,45 no differences were evident in vascular parameters related to early atherosclerosis in women with PCOS. This was also shown by Kahal et al 46 by studying obese women with PCOS diagnosed by strict diagnostic criteria and matched not only for BMI but also for abdominal obesity, blood pressure, lipid profile and smoking history.…”

“…The clinical and chemical characteristics of these groups have been previously described. 25 There was no difference between the medians of TNF-α among the four groups (p=0.296), while the medians of IL-6 levels were significantly higher in the ObeseControl group when compared with the Lean-Control group (p=0.009) and with the Lean-PCOS group (p=0.001). For hs-CRP, the median was higher in the Obese-Control and Obese-PCOS groups than in the Lean-Control group and in the Lean-PCOS group (Obese-Control vs Lean-Control, p=0.006 and Data are expressed as median (min-max); Mann-Whitney U test followed by Bonferroni adjustment was used to perform comparisons between PCOS and control groups, regardless of BMI, and between obese and lean groups, regardless of PCOS; p <0.005 was considered significant (p corrected); HOMA-IR: homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance; AUCi: area under the curve of insulin during the oral glucose tolerance test; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor-α; IL-6: interleukin-6; hs-CRP: high-sensitive C-reactive protein.…”

“…The data regarding these patients were already published. 25 All women were non-smokers, had a normal physical activity level, had no inflammatory or other diseases and had not taken chronic medications (hormones in general, hormonal contraceptives, glucocorticoids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and drugs with an influence on body weight, glucose metabolism, lipid profile and on the CV system) for at least six months prior to the study.…”

Association of clinical androgen excess with radial artery intima media thickness in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

“…The exact effect of PCOS on endothelial function remains controversial. Several studies have revealed that it is not impaired in women with PCOS who are either not obese or do not display morbid obesity [19,20]. However, some authors believe that endothelial function is impaired in patients with PCOS [3,21].…”