Vascular endothelial growth factor and insulin-like growth factor-1 in polycystic ovary syndrome and their relation to ovarian blood flow.
OBJECTIVE
(1) To determine the serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). (2) To study Doppler blood flow changes within the ovarian stroma of women with PCOS. (3) To evaluate the relationship between VEGF and IGF-1 and Doppler indices as well as hormonal profile.


METHODS
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Egypt.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Fifty infertile women with PCOS diagnosed by ultrasound examination and a history of oligomenorrhea, hirsutism and obesity were studied. Serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and hormonal profile were measured. Doppler blood flow velocity waveforms analysis in both right and left intraovarian arteries was done. Twenty healthy and fertile women with regular menstrual cycles served as a comparison group were similarly studied at the third day of the cycle.


RESULTS
The serum levels of VEGF, IGF-1 (4.79 +/- 0.91, 253.15 +/- 70.07 versus 2.39 +/- 0.42, 186.65 +/- 42.7) were significantly elevated (P <0.001 and P <0.01, respectively) in women with PCOS compared with control. Doppler indices, PI (2.01 +/- 0.77, 2.66 +/- 1.00 versus 2.98 +/- 0.77, 3.75 +/- 0.98) and RI (0.77 +/- 0.12, 0.82 +/- 0.09 versus 0.87 +/- 0.09, 0.89 +/- 0.09) in both right and left intraovarian vessels were significantly lower in the patients than controls. The VEGF and IGF-1 levels were negatively correlated with RI and PI in the uterine and intraovarian arteries. VEGF level was positively correlated with IGF-1 (r=0.41, P <0.05) in women with PCOS.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher serum levels of VEGF and IGF-1 in PCOS women may be related to the increased vascularity that underlies the increased blood flow demonstrated by Doppler blood flow measurements in these women.
Abd El Aal
Diaa Eldeen M
DE
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Egypt. abdelaald@yahoo.com
Mohamed
Safwat A
SA
Amine
Ahmed F
AF
Meki
Abdel-Raheim M A
AR
D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010053:Ovary / Q000098:blood supply*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000032:analysis; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D018617:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Pulsed; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
D004967:Estrogens; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D013739:Testosterone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone