title: Cigarette smoking and cardiovascular risk in young women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To verify if in lean polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients, the smok- ing habitude might increase the risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective observational study, eighty-one women were divided into the following three groups: group I with 27 non-smokers, group II with 26 light-smokers (1-10 cigarettes/day), and group III with 28 heavy smokers (>10 cigarettes/ day). They were submitted to fasting blood sampling; blood measurement of nitrites/ni- trates (NO2-/ NO3), biochemical and hormonal parameters; ovarian ultrasonographic (US) analysis; doppler evaluation of uterine and ophthalmic arteries; brachial artery flow-medi- ated vasodilatation; 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring; and oral glucose toler- ance test (OGTT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Doppler analysis revealed higher uterine and ophthalmic arteries pulsatility in- dex (PI) and ophthalmic artery back pressure in group III compared with group I. The brachial artery diameter and PI, at baseline, was similar among all groups. After the re- active hyperemia, a more intense vasodilatation was observed in group I in comparison with group III. The 24-hour blood pressure demonstrated that, in group III patients, the 24-hour, day- and night-time diastolic blood pressure (DBP), was higher in comparison with non-smokers. The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) was higher in heavy smokers than in non-smokers. The leukocytes and homocysteine (HCY) values were increased in group III. The NO2-/ NO3- plasma levels were reduced in heavy smokers in compari- son with non-smokers. The insulin, glucose and C-peptide plasma values were higher in group III than in other groups. In heavy smokers, the estimates of insulin sensitivity (ISI) and pancreatic β-cell function (HOMA-B) were higher compared to the other groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smoking habitude in lean PCOS patients may increase the soft markers of CV risk.
authors: Department of Gynecology and Pathophysiology of Human Reproduction, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Morotti
authors: Department of Gynecology and Pathophysiology of Human Reproduction, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Battaglia
authors: Department of Gynecology and Pathophysiology of Human Reproduction, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Raffaella
authors: R
authors: Fabbri
authors: Department of Gynecology and Pathophysiology of Human Reproduction, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Paradisi
authors: Department of Gynecology and Pathophysiology of Human Reproduction, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Venturoli
authors: Department of Gynecology and Pathophysiology of Human Reproduction, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Cesare
authors: C
authors: Battaglia
keywords: Doppler; PCOS; Smoke; Ultrasound