title: Drospirenone and cardiovascular risk in lean and obese polycystic ovary syndrome patients: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to verify if an oral contraceptive (OC) containing drospirenone affects the cardiovascular risk of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 28 women with PCOS (16 lean [group A] and 12 overweight [group B]) were assessed at baseline and after 6 months therapy with an OC. Leptin, homocysteine, endothelin-1, and flow-mediated dilatation of brachial artery were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The brachial artery diameter and the pulsatility index, after the reactive hyperemia, did not change in group A; it improved significantly in group B after 6 months of treatment. At baseline and after therapy the plasma levels of homocysteine and endothelin-1 did not differ among the groups. Leptin was significantly lower at baseline in group A compared to group B.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The OC containing drospirenone does not seem to affect the surrogate markers of cardiovascular risk in lean patients with PCOS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Fulvia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cianciosi
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Persico
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Facchinetti
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Busacchi
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Battaglia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000736:Androstenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000494:pharmacology; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D000736:Androstenes; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D019332:Endothelin-1; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists; D006710:Homocysteine; C035144:drospirenone