Correlation between chronic low-grade inflammation and glucose and lipid metabolism indicators in polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this study was to explore the correlation between inflammatory indicators and blood lipids and to further provide a theoretical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of clinical polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Methods

Whole-blood cell counts and hormone and blood lipid levels were measured in 110 patients with PCOS and 126 healthy women. The differences in the above levels and the correlation between inflammation and blood lipid levels in the two groups were determined, and classified according to BMI. Differences in inflammatory indices were also analyzed. The independent risk factors for PCOS were analyzed by binary logistic regression.

Results

The PCOS group had greater BMI and greater body weight than the control group. The inflammatory indicators WBC, neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte counts and the NLR were significantly higher than those of the control group. It had higher testosterone (TSTO), triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) levels. Correlation analysis showed that leukocyte and neutrophil counts were positively correlated with TSTO and TG levels and negatively correlated with HDL. In the BMI ≥ 24 and BMI < 24 groups, WBC was higher in PCOS patients than in healthy controls. Logistic regression showed that TSTO, TG and FSH were independent risk factors for PCOS.

Conclusion

Inflammatory markers are correlated with blood lipids in PCOS. During the treatment of PCOS, blood lipids and serum inflammatory factors should be monitored.

Keywords:

• PCOS
• inflammation
• glucose metabolism
• lipid metabolism

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have participated sufficiently in the work and take responsibility for the appropriate portions of the content. The authors declare no conflicts of interest in this work.

Data availability statement

All relevant data are included in the paper. The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

The clinical case screening and data collection were supported by the Sichuan Science and Technology Program (2023YFS0186)