The effects of obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome on serum lipocalin-2 levels: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lipocalin-2 is a novel adipokine that appears to play a role in the development of insulin resistance. Serum lipocalin-2 levels are elevated in obese patients. Obesity and insulin resistance are cardinal characteristics of the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, there are limited data on serum lipocalin-2 levels in patients with PCOS. The aim of the present study was to assess serum lipocalin-2 levels in PCOS.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We studied 200 patients with PCOS and 50 healthy female volunteers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Serum lipocalin-2 levels were slightly higher in women with PCOS compared with controls (65.4 +/- 34.3 vs. 60.3 +/- 26.0 ng/ml, respectively) but this difference did not reach statistical significance. In contrast, lipocalin-2 levels were higher in overweight/obese women with PCOS than in normal weight women with the syndrome (76.2 +/- 37.3 vs. 54.5 +/- 27.2 ng/ml, respectively; p < 0.001). Serum lipocalin-2 levels were also higher in overweight/obese controls compared with normal weight controls (70.1 +/- 24.9 vs. 50.5 +/- 23.7 ng/ml, respectively; p = 0.004). In the total study population (patients with PCOS and controls), lipocalin-2 levels were independently correlated with the body mass index (p < 0.001). In women with PCOS, lipocalin-2 levels were independently correlated with the waist (p < 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Obesity is associated with elevated serum lipocalin-2 levels. In contrast, PCOS does not appear to affect lipocalin-2 levels.</p

Επίπεδα βισφατίνης στον ορό παχύσαρκων και φυσιολογικού βάρους γυναικών με το σύνδρομο των πολυκυστικών ωοθηκών

The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinological disturbance of women of the reproductive age group. Approximately 5-10% of women of this age group are affected. The classical definition of PCOS includes the combination of biochemical hyperandrogeneamia or hyperandrogonism (clinical manifestations of hyperandrogenaemia with normal levels of serum androgens) and chronic anovulation, in the absence of any other conditions with similar clinical and laboratory picture [National Institute of Health (NIH) 1990]. The two recent PCOS definitions [Rotterdam 2003 & Androgen Excess Society 2006] included in this definition of PCOS the criterion of polycystic appearance of the ovaries on ultrasound. Although this ultrasound finding is present in 75% of women with polycystic ovarian syndrome, its diagnostic significance is still not fully accepted by a significant body of expert opinion. It is noteworthy, that the isolated finding of polycystic ovarian appearances on ultrasound is not sufficient to set the diagnosis of this syndrome.Το σύνδρομο των πολυκυστικών ωοθηκών είναι η συχνότερη ενδοκρινική διαταραχή των γυναικών αναπαραγωγικής ηλικίας. Προσβάλλει το 5-10% των γυναικών της ηλικίας αυτής. Ο κλασικός αριθμός του PCOS περιλαμβάνει το συνδυασμό βιοχημικής υπερανδρογοναιμίας ή υπερανδρογονισμού (κλινικές εκδηλώσεις υπερανδρογοναιμίας με φυσιολογικά επίπεδα ανδρογόνων ορού) και χρόνιας ανωοθυλακιορρηξίας, εφόσον αποκλεισθούν όλες οι άλλες νοσολογικές οντότητες, που εμφανίζουν παρόμοια κλινικοεργαστηριακή εικόνα [National Institute of Health (NIH) 1990]. Οι δύο μεταγενέστεροι ορισμοί του PCOS [Rotterdam 2003 & Androgen Excess Society 2006] συμπεριέλαβαν το κριτήριο της υπερηχογραφικής απεικόνισης πολυκυστικών ωοθηκών στη διάγνωση PCOS. Μολονότι το υπερηχογραφικό αυτό εύρημα παρατηρείται στο 75% των γυναικών με το σύνδρομο των πολυκυστικών ωοθηκών, η διαγνωστική σημασία του αμφισβητείται από σημαντική μερίδα ειδικών. Πρέπει, πάντως, να σημειωθεί ότι το μεμονωμένο υπερηχογραφικό εύρημα δεν αρκεί για να θέσει τη διάγνωση του συνδρόμου

Urinary tract infection during pregnancy: current concepts on a common multifaceted problem

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common bacterial infection in pregnancy, increasing the risk of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Urinary tract infections may present as asymptomatic bacteriuria, acute cystitis or pyelonephritis. Escherichia coli is the most common pathogen associated with both symptomatic and asymptomatic bacteriuria. If asymptomatic bacteriuria is untreated, up to 30% of mothers develop acute pyelonephritis, with an increased risk of multiple maternal and neonatal complications, such as preeclampsia, preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction and low birth weight. Urinary tract infection is a common, but preventable cause of pregnancy complications, thus urinary tests, such as urine culture or new technologies such as high-throughput DNA sequence-based analyses, should be used in order to improve antenatal screening of pregnant women

Plasma visfatin levels in normal weight women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Background: The present study was designed to measure plasma visfatin levels in normal weight with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and to assess possible correlations between visfatin and the hormonal or metabolic parameters of the syndrome. Methods: Twenty-five normal weight [body mass index (BMI) &lt; 25 kg/m(2)] women with PCOS, 24 obese and overweight (BMI &gt; 25 kg/m(2)) controls (ovulating women without clinical or biochemical hyeperandrogenism), and 24 normal weight controls were studied. Blood samples were collected between the 3rd and the 7th days of menstrual cycle in the control groups and during a spontaneous bleeding episode in the PCOS groups at 9:00 A.M., after an overnight fast. Circulating levels of LH, FSH, prolactin (PRL), testosterone (T), Delta 4-androstenedione (Delta 4-A), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), 17 alpha-OH-progestrone (17OH), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), insulin, glucose, and visfatin were measured. Results: Plasma visfatin levels and the visfatin-to-insulin ratio were significantly lower in normal weight controls than in both normal weight women with PCOS and overweight or obese controls. Plasma visfatin levels were found to be positively correlated with LH and Delta(4)A levels, as well as with free androgen index (FAI) values, and negatively correlated with SHBG, LH and SHBG levels were found to be the only independent significant determinants of circulating visfatin. In the control groups, plasma visfatin levels were significantly correlated with BMI, waist (W) measurement, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). Conclusions: Visfatin levels are positively associated with obesity in healthy women of reproductive age. Moreover, the present study indicates, for the first time, a possible involvement of increased visfatin levels in PCOS-associated metabolic and hormonal disturbances. (c) 2007 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved