Comparative study of plasma ghrelin levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome, in hyperandrogenic women and in normal controls.
BACKGROUND
Ghrelin is a novel peptide associated with energy balance, obesity, and perhaps gonadal function. The present study was designed in order: (i) to compare plasma ghrelin levels between women with PCOS, women who presented only with hyperandrogenaemia and healthy controls; and (ii) to investigate the relationship between circulating ghrelin and the heterogeneity of clinical and biochemical manifestations of PCOS.


METHODS
Two hundred and fifty-nine women with PCOS, 25 women who had only hyperandrogenaemia and 46 controls, were studied. Women with PCOS were further divided, based on the presence of chronic anovulation, biochemical hyperandrogenaemia, clinical hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovary morphology on ultrasound evaluation. In all women, the basal levels of gonadotrophins, androgens, 17-OH-progesterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, glucose, insulin and ghrelin were measured.


RESULTS
Women with PCOS had lower ghrelin levels, compared to both women with hyperandrogenaemia and controls; women with hyperandrogenaemia had lower ghrelin levels, compared to controls, but not significantly so. While PCOS-associated hyperandrogenaemia was inversely related to ghrelin levels, anovulation and polycystic ovary morphology were associated with higher concentrations. Ghrelin levels were negatively correlated with 17-OH-progesterone levels.


CONCLUSIONS
In PCOS, circulating ghrelin and androgens are inversely related and it is possible that this peptide is involved in steroidal synthesis and/or action. It is also likely that different clinical and biochemical manifestations of the syndrome are also associated with different ghrelin concentrations.
Panidis
Dimitrios
D
Division of Endocrinology and Human Reproduction, Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. argic@med.auth.gr
Farmakiotis
Dimitrios
D
Koliakos
Georgios
G
Rousso
David
D
Kourtis
Anargyros
A
Katsikis
Ilias
I
Asteriadis
Chrissostomos
C
Karayannis
Vassilios
V
Diamanti-Kandarakis
Evanthia
E
D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone / Q000097:blood; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D054439:Ghrelin; D006801:Humans; D017588:Hyperandrogenism / Q000097:blood*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone