Abstract
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.