Serum lipocalin-2 as an insulin resistance marker in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Our aim was to investigate levels of lipocalin-2 and its relationship with metabolic factors in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).


METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, two groups of women were studied: group 1 consisted of women with PCOS (no.=30), and group 2 consisted of control women with normal ovulatory function (no.=30). The circulating levels of free testosterone (T), DHEAS, glucose, insulin, triglycerides (TG), HDL, LDL and lipocalin were measured. Insulin resistance was assessed using the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR). In order to determine a lipocalin value indicating insulin resistance, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were established.


RESULTS
Serum lipocalin was significantly higher in PCOS subjects (54.26 ± 15.58 vs 26.09 ± 7.47 ng/ml, p=0.0001).We found a close correlation between lipocalin and insulin, lipocalin and HOMA-IR, lipocalin and T, and lipocalin and DHEAS. A cut-off level of >39.54 ng/ml for serum lipocalin has a predictive value for insulin resistance of 81% sensitivity and 82.1% specificity.


CONCLUSIONS
In our study, lipocalin-2 levels were found to be significantly higher in women with PCOS compared to body mass index-matched controls. Serum lipocalin-2 may prove to be a useful marker for insulin resistance in patients with PCOS.
Department of Endocrinology, Yuksek Ihtisas Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. ermancakal@hotmail.com
E
E
Cakal
M
M
Ozkaya
Y
Y
Engin-Ustun
Y
Y
Ustun
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000097:blood*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D012372:ROC Curve; D055815:Young Adult
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers; C489506:LCN2 protein, human; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins