Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on December 22, 2005
Human Reproduction 2006 21(4):930-935; doi:10.1093/humrep/dei431
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Do young women with polycystic ovary syndrome show early evidence of preclinical coronary artery disease?
1 Cardiology Department and 2 Obstetrics & Gynecology Department, Konya Teaching and Medical Research Center, Baskent University, Konya and 3 Cardiology Department, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
4 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Cardiology Department Hoca Cihan mah, Konya Teaching and Medical Research Center, Saray Cad, No. 1, Selcuklu, Konya, Turkey. E-mail: semratopcu2003{at}yahoo.com
BACKGROUND: It is thought that women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: In this study, we used transthoracic echocardiography to measure coronary flow reserve (CFR) in 28 women with PCOS and in 26 healthy women. RESULTS: The PCOS and the control groups were similar in terms of age (27.1 ± 4.5 versus 28.8 ± 4.4 years) and BMI (26.6 ± 5.7 versus 24.7 ± 4.4 kg/m2). Fasting insulin levels and homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index were higher in the PCOS group. LH, the LH/FSH ratio, total testosterone, free testosterone and androstenedione were higher in the PCOS group. FSH, estradiol, prolactin, progesterone, cholesterol, triglyceride and high-sensitive C-reactive protein were similar between the two groups, but homocysteine levels were higher in the PCOS group. Baseline diastolic peak f low velocity (DPFV) (25.0 ± 4.6 versus 23.3 ± 2.7 cm/s, P > 0.05), hyperaemic DPFV (71.2 ± 12.8 versus 73.0 ± 12.9 cm/s, P > 0.05) and CFR (2.8 ± 0.8 versus 3.2 ± 0.8 cm/s, P > 0.05) of the left anterior descending coronary artery were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSION: We conclude that in young women with PCOS and without cardiovascular risk factors, CFR is preserved.
Key words: coronary artery disease/coronary flow reserve/polycystic ovary syndrome