title: Decreased active, total and altered active to total ghrelin ratio in normal weight women with the more severe form of polycystic ovary syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess total, active and active to total serum ghrelin ratio in normal weight women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and in healthy ovulatory control women.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 50 normal weight women with PCOS with a mean age of 23.70+/-4.99 years and 10 control women with a mean age of 30+/-5.80 years. The diagnosis of PCOS was based on the presence of biochemical hyperandrogenemia, chronic anovulation and polycystic ovarian morphology according to the Rotterdam ESHRE/ASRM-sponsored PCOS Consensus Workshop Group. Serum total and active ghrelin were measured by RIA, using commercially available kits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significantly lower serum active/total ghrelin ratio was noted in the more severe form of PCOS with hyperandrogenemia, chronic anovulation and polycystic ovarian morphology. Both total and active serum ghrelin levels were negatively correlated to hirsutism score, to plasma glucose levels and to QUICKI and HOMA-IR indices of Insulin Resistance. A statistically significant difference was detected between the more severe and the milder forms of PCOS, concerning serum levels of total ghrelin (p=0.017), active ghrelin (p=0.007) and the active/total ghrelin ratio (p=0.026).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study demonstrate an altered active to total ghrelin ratio, as well as a tendency towards lower both total and active fasting serum ghrelin levels in normal weight PCOS, more pronounced in the more severe forms of the syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Human Reproduction, Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 119, Mitropoleos Str., 54622 Thessaloniki, Greece. panidisd@med.auth.gr
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Panidis
authors.forename: Chrisostomos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Asteriadis
authors.forename: Neoklis A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Georgopoulos
authors.forename: Ilias
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Katsikis
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zournatzi
authors.forename: Artemis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karkanaki
authors.forename: Alexandros D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Saltamavros
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Decavalas
authors.forename: Evanthia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Diamanti-Kandarakis
mesh_terms: D000215:Acylation; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin