title: Is there a link between polycystic ovary syndrome and non-thyroidal illness syndrome?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of non-thyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
  
  
  METHODS
  During a 6-month period, 52 patients with PCOS were recruited for this cross-sectional study. The control group included 68 age-matched female volunteers. Serum free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), anti-thyroperoxidase antibody (anti-TPO Ab), and anti-thyroglobulin antibody (anti-Tg Ab) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The TSH level in the PCOS patients and controls did not differ significantly (1.9±1.2 μIU/mL vs. 1.8±0.9 μIU/mL, p>0.05). Serum fT3 and fT4 levels in the controls were significantly lower than those in the PCOS patients (fT3: 2.7±0.3 pg/mL vs. 2.9±0.3 pg/mL, p=0.02; fT4: 1.0±0.1 ng/dL vs. 1.1±0.1 ng/dL, p=0.03). The Hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) level in the PCOS patients was significantly higher than in the controls (3.5±4.9 mg/L vs. 1.7±2.7 mg/L, p=0.03). A statistically significant relationship was observed between Hs-CRP and fT4 (r=0.245, p=0.015). However, NTIS was not observed in either group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thyroid function abnormalities could be observed in PCOS; however, NTIS was not noted in the present study despite the inflammatory state of the PCOS patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Melia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karaköse
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erman
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cakal
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Oya
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Topaloğlu
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Müyesser Sayki
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazım Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Giniş
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tuncay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Delibaıı
keywords: Polycystic ovary syndrome; hormones; inflammation; non-thyroidal illness syndrome