Evaluation of serum anti-nuclear antibody among women with PCOS: a hospital based single center cross sectional study

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a major endocrinopathy is associated with barrage of metabolic aberrations. Reports in literature on association of PCOS and autoimmunity are conflicting. We aim to evaluate serum levels of anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) among Indian women with PCOS. In this hospital-based single center cross-sectional study, women qualifying a diagnosis of PCOS by Rotterdam criteria 2003 were recruited. Eighty-nine eligible women who consented were enrolled. All these women along with 87 age-matched, healthy controls underwent, clinical (menstrual history, anthropometry, hirsutism scoring), biochemical, hormonal assessment and serum ANA estimation. OGTT after overnight (8–12 h) fast with 75 g oral glucose load was done for 1 h, 2 h glucose and insulin measurements. The mean age of cases and controls was comparable (22.67 ± 5.53 vs. 22.84 ± 3.64 years). The prevalence of ANA positivity was significantly higher among women with PCOS (18.4% vs. 2.29%; p < .001). Though significant correlation was observed between ANA positivity and clinical signs of hyperandrogenism and plasma glucose, no significant correlation was noted between ANA status and other hormonal parameters. Higher prevalence of ANA positivity among women with PCOS, being a marker of autoimmunity, suggests a possible role of autoimmunity in causation of PCOS and needs further elucidation.

摘要

多囊卵巢综合征（PCOS）是一种主要的内分泌疾病, 与代谢异常有关。文献报道中关于PCOS与自身免疫的关系是相互矛盾的。我们的目的是评估印度PCOS患者体内血清抗核抗体（ANA）水平。在这项基于医院的单中心横断面研究中, 我们招募了符合2003年鹿特丹标准的PCOS患者89例。统计了这些入组患者以及87名年龄匹配的健康对照组成员的临床信息（月经史, 人体测量学指标, 多毛症评分）, 以及生化, 激素水平和血清ANA水平。空腹过夜（8-12小时）后快速进行OGTT试验, 检测1小时, 2小时血糖值和胰岛素值。病例和对照组的平均年龄相当（22.67±5.53对22.84±3.64岁）。PCOS女性患者ANA阳性率显着升高（18.4％vs.2.29％; p <.001）。虽然ANA阳性与雄激素增高症和血糖水平之间存在显著相关性, 但ANA与其他激素水平之间未发现有显著相关性。ANA作为自身免疫标志物其在PCOS患者体内阳性率较高, 自身免疫因素是否在PCOS的发生、发展中可能发挥作用, 仍需要进一步研究。

Keywords:

• PCOS
• Rotterdam criteria
• anti-nuclear antibody
• autoimmunity

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge all the subjects for their volunteer participation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.