title: Does ovarian blood flow distinguish between ovulatory and anovulatory patients with polycystic ovary syndrome?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine whether parameters of ovarian blood flow distinguish between women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who ovulate and those who are anovulatory.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospectively enrolled trial, carried out as a cross-sectional comparison of 12 ovulatory patients with PCOS and 20 matched subjects with classic PCOS and 10 healthy control subjects. Hormonal parameters and ovarian blood flow by color flow Doppler imaging were obtained in the early follicular phase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Characteristic elevations in luteinizing hormone (LH) and androgens were found in both groups with PCOS compared with control groups. Women with anovulatory PCOS had high insulin levels and lower Quantitative Insulin-Sensitivity Check Index (QUICKI) values compared with women with ovulatory PCOS, although both groups had values that were different from healthy control subjects (P<.01). Ovarian volume was similar in the two groups with PCOS, but pulsatility and resistance indices were lower in anovulatory PCOS (P<.01) compared with ovulatory PCOS and control subjects, who had similar findings. Insulin correlated negatively with the resistance index and QUICKI correlated positively (r=0.653, P<.01). There was a negative correlation between the resistance index and unbound testosterone (r=-0.5, P<.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that differences in ovarian blood flow in anovulatory versus ovulatory women with PCOS and that hormonal factors, including insulin resistance, may influence this relationship. The alterations in blood flow in anovulatory PCOS may contribute toward or result from anovulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carmina
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: Rogerio A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lobo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood; D000858:Anovulation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010053:Ovary / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010060:Ovulation; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D007328:Insulin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone