Oxidative Stress but Not Endothelial Dysfunction Exists in Non-obese, Young Group of Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Objective: To determine if oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction exist at the same time in a young, non-obese group of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Celal Bayar University, School of Medicine, Manisa, Turkey.

Sample: Thirty-one young, non-obese patients with PCOS and 23 age- and body mass index-matched controls.

Methods: Following clinical and biochemical diagnosis, malonyldialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), von Willebrand Factor (vWF), and nitric oxide (NO) levels of patients and controls were measured and compared.

Main Outcome Measures: To find out oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction parameters.

Results: MDA (0.12+/-0.03 vs 0.10+/-0.03, p=0.01) and SOD (8.0+/-0.7 vs 7.28+/-0.8, p=0.001) levels were significantly higher in PCOS group while there was no difference in vWF (527.2+/-280.1 vs 568.1+/-276.8, p>0.05) and NO levels (169.9+/-47.4 vs 168.9+/-80, p>0.05). When the results of the PCOS patients were divided into two subgroups in terms of insulin resistance (IR- and IR + ), the IR- subgroup had significantly higher MDA levels compared to the control (0.125+/-0.03 vs 0.101+/-0.03, p=0.03). Though IR+ group also had higher MDA than the control group, it did not reach to a significant level (0.117+/-0.05 vs 0.101+/-0.03, p>0.05). Both IR- and IR+ groups had significantly higher SOD levels compared with control group (7.99+/-0.7 vs 7.28+/-0.8, p=0.009 and 8.22+/-0.8 vs 7.28+/-0.8, p=0.03, respectively). vWF and NO levels were not different among these three groups (p>0.05).

Conclusions: Oxidative stress is prominent while endothelial dysfunction does not exist in young, non-obese patients with PCOS.