[Increased homocysteine levels in polycystic ovary syndrome].
OBJECTIVE
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) exhibit frequently risk factors that predispose to cardiovascular disease. Hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for this disease. The aim of this study was to know whether young women with PCOS have increased homocysteine levels. We also analyzed their possible relation with folate and vitamin B12 levels.


METHODS
Thirty nine patients with PCOS were studied; (age: mean [standard deviation] 28.9 [5.8] years), and 39 healthy women similar in age. We evaluated in all of them: smoking, menstrual cycles, hirsutism, body mass index, metabolic syndrome and levels of homocysteine, lipids, glucose, creatinine, folate, vitamin B12, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and androstendione.


RESULTS
Menstrual cycles, hirsutism, androstendione, LH levels and LH/FSH were higher, as we expected, in patients with PCOS. Moreover, patients had increased homocysteine (9.1 [2.1] vs 6.4 [1.8] micromol/L; p < 0.001) and glucose levels (99 [13] vs 88 [10] mg/dl; p < 0.001), a higher frequency of abnormal fasting glycemia (> 110 mg/dl) (23% vs 2.5%; p =.01) and lower folate levels (7.6 [3.7] vs 10.2 [3.6] ng/ml; p = 0.02). A multiple linear regression showed a negative association between homocysteine and folate levels (r2 = 0.05; p =.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Homocysteinemia is increased in women with PCOS, and it is negatively associated with folate levels.
de la Calle
María
M
Servicio de Ginecología y Obstetricia, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, España. mdelacalle55@hotmail.es
Gallardo
Teresa
T
Diestro
M Dolores
MD
Hernanz
Angel
A
Pérez
Elia
E
Fernández-Miranda
Consuelo
C
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*
D015415:Biomarkers; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone