title: Full-length visfatin levels are associated with inflammation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common gynaecological endocrinopathy characterized by oligomenorrhea, amenorrhoea, clinical and/or biochemical hyperandrogenism and polycystic ovaries. Abdominal deposition of excess body fat and metabolic diseases like insulin resistance and compensatory hyperinsulinemia are commonly observed in PCOS subjects. It has been suggested that visfatin is an adipokine secreted from the abdominal fat influencing glucose metabolism and might therefore contribute to the metabolic disturbances in PCOS.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured circulating full-length visfatin levels with a specific enzyme immunoassay (AdipoGen Inc, Incheon, South-Korea) in 57 women with self-reported symptoms of PCOS (hirsutism and/or oligomenorrhea) and ultrasound confirmed polycystic ovaries, and in 57 controls from the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort and explored its association with metabolic and inflammatory parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Polycystic ovary syndrome cases had higher body mass index (BMI) (25·7 vs. 24·1 kg/m(2)) and waist circumference (83·2 vs. 78·8 cm) compared to controls, yet there was no difference in plasma visfatin levels between them. In contrast, visfatin significantly correlated with C-reactive protein (CRP) in the control group and with white blood cell count (WBC) in both groups. In linear regression analysis, adjusted for PCOS, smoking, socioeconomic status, BMI or waist circumference, serum lipids and markers of glucose metabolism and hormone status, only WBC remained significantly associated with plasma visfatin levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that circulating visfatin levels correlate with WBC and CRP but are not associated with PCOS, obesity or metabolic markers, suggesting that visfatin may act as a proinflammatory cytokine.
authors.affiliation: Deparment of Physiology Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Taina K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Lajunen
authors.forename: Anna-Kaisa
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Purhonen
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haapea
authors.forename: Aimo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruokonen
authors.forename: Katri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Puukka
authors.forename: Anna-Liisa
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hartikainen
authors.forename: Markku J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Savolainen
authors.forename: Laure
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morin-Papunen
authors.forename: Juha S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Tapanainen
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Franks
authors.forename: Marjo-Riitta
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Järvelin
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Herzig
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000097:blood*; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase