Visfatin and leptin levels in women with polycystic ovaries undergoing ovarian stimulation.
OBJECTIVE
To detect the levels of visfatin and leptin in the serum as well as in the follicular fluid (FF) of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation and to compare them with the levels found in age- and weight-matched normally ovulating women under IVF treatment.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Assisted Reproduction Unit, Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece.


METHODS
Forty patients with diagnosed PCOS and 40 age- and weight-matched non-PCOS control women enrolled in the IVF program.


METHODS
Blood and FF samples were collected from all subjects at oocyte retrieval.


METHODS
Visfatin and leptin levels were measured in serum and FF using ELISA.


RESULTS
Serum visfatin levels were significantly increased in women with PCOS, whereas FF visfatin levels, which were lower than serum levels, did not differ between groups. Serum leptin levels did not differ between groups and were lower than FF levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Women with polycystic ovaries exhibit significantly increased serum visfatin and decreased FF leptin levels compared with control subjects of similar age and body mass index, indicating a probable role for visfatin in the general state of insulin resistance and a local contribution in the follicle for leptin in patients undergoing IVF treatment.
Plati
Ekaterina
E
Department of Biopathology, University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Kouskouni
Evangelia
E
Department of Biopathology, University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Malamitsi-Puchner
Ariadne
A
Assisted Reproduction Unit, Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Boutsikou
Maria
M
Assisted Reproduction Unit, Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Kaparos
George
G
Department of Biopathology, University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Baka
Stavroula
S
Department of Biopathology, University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece; Assisted Reproduction Unit, Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: ivf@aretaieio.uoa.gr.
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D020738:Leptin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy
D016207:Cytokines; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; C085455:nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, human