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Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on March 31, 2008
Human Reproduction 2008 23(7):1602-1606; doi:10.1093/humrep/den109
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© The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Serum total L-carnitine levels in non-obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Semin Melahat Fenkci1,6, Veysel Fenkci2, Ozer Oztekin3, Simin Rota4 and Nedim Karagenc5

1 Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Pamukkale University, School of Medicine, 20100 Denizli, Turkey 2 Clinics of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Special Aegean Hospital, 20100 Denizli, Turkey 3 Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pamukkale University, School of Medicine, 20100 Denizli, Turkey 4 Department of Biochemistry, Pamukkale University, School of Medicine, 20100 Denizli, Turkey 5 Department of Medical Biology, Pamukkale University, School of Medicine, 20100 Denizli, Turkey

6 Correspondence address: Zeytinkoy Mah. Dogalevler Sitesi 5097 Sokak, M Blok kat: 2 Daire: 4 Bagbasi, 20100 Denizli, Turkey. Tel: +90-505-400-40-27; Fax: +90-258-264-01-52; E-mail: sfenkci{at}yahoo.com

BACKGROUND: Carnitine plays essential roles in energy production, oxidative stress and glucose metabolism. This study was planned to determine serum total L-carnitine levels in non-obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

METHODS: There were 27 non-obese women with PCOS and 30 healthy, age- and body mass index (BMI) matched controls were evaluated in this controlled clinical study. Serum lipid sub-fractions, fasting glucose, insulin and other hormones (gonadotrophins, androgens) and total L-carnitine levels were measured. Homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) was used to estimate insulin resistance.

RESULTS: The women with PCOS had significantly higher serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, total testosterone, free androgen index (FAI), luteinizing hormone (LH), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, non-high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, fasting insulin levels and HOMA-IR measurement and LH/FSH ratios than healthy women. However, total L-carnitine and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels were significantly lower in women with PCOS. L-Carnitine level was negatively correlated with FAI, but positively correlated with SHBG. Multiple regression analysis revealed that SHBG was a strong predictor of serum total L-carnitine level.

CONCLUSIONS: Decreased total L-carnitine levels may be associated with hyperandrogenism and/or insulin resistance in non-obese women with PCOS. Long-term studies are needed to evaluate carnitine metabolism in PCOS, especially with regard to the molecular basis.

Key words: carnitine/PCOS/insulin resistance/glucose metabolism/hyperandrogenism

Submitted on October 22, 2007; resubmitted on March 2, 2008; accepted on March 12, 2008.


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