title: Familial aggregation of circulating C-reactive protein in polycystic ovary syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  What is the heritability of C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and their first-degree relatives?
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women with PCOS and their siblings are more likely to have elevated CRP levels when both of their parents have elevated CRP. This PCOS family-based study indicates that CRP levels are likely a heritable trait.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have established that an elevated blood level of CRP is variably present in women with PCOS, and may be present independent of metabolic status.
  
  
  METHODS
  A familial based phenotyping study consisting of 81 families comprised of PCOS patients and their first-degree relatives for 305 subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study conducted at an academic health center. An elevated CRP level was defined as >28.6 nmol/l. To account for familial clustering, generalized estimating equations with a logit link were used to model the association between elevated CRP levels in patients with PCOS and their siblings with their parental group (A = neither parent with elevated CRP; B = one parent with elevated CRP; C= both parents with elevated CRP), adjusting for gender, age and BMI of the offspring. We did additional heritability analyses by using a variance component estimation method for CRP levels, adjusting for sex, age and BMI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed elevated CRP levels in 94% of the offspring in group C, 45% in group B and 10% in group A after adjusting for age, gender and BMI of the offspring. The median BMI of the offspring in group A, B and C were 30.0, 28.7 and 31.2 kg/m², respectively. Heritability estimates of CRP levels ranged from 0.75 to 0.83 and remained significant after excluding for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Our small sample size increases the possibility of a type 1 error.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is a single report in an adequately powered but limited sample size study identifying the strong heritability of CRP levels. Replication in other large family cohorts is necessary.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings support the concept that there is an increased cardiovascular disease risk profile in families of women with PCOS.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This research was supported by National Institutes of Health grants U54HD-034449 and P50 HD044405 (A.D.). Priyathama Vellanki is supported in part by NIH/NIDDK Training Grant T32 DK007169.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences,  Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033,  USA.
authors.forename: Arunachalam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sasidevi
authors.forename: Priyathama
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vellanki
authors.forename: Allen R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Kunselman
authors.forename: Nazia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Raja-Khan
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dunaif
authors.forename: Richard S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Legro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008954:Models, Biological; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications; D010290:Parents; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012306:Risk; D035781:Siblings; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein