title: The relationship between subclinical cardiovascular disease and lipocalin-2 levels in women with PCOS.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study we aimed to investigate the relationship between lipocalin-2 (LCN2) levels and cardiovascular risk in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients with PCOS and 44 healthy women as controls were enrolled in the study. Laboratory and echocardiographic examinations were performed between the second and fifth days of the menstrual cycle. Serum LCN2 levels were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum LCN2 levels were significantly lower in PCOS patients (75.8 [51.4-131.2] ng/ml vs. 85.3 [56.7-138.5] ng/ml, p=0.038). Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) was increased in patients with PCOS compared to controls (0.61±0.13mm vs. 0.50±0.07mm, p=0.001). Aortic strain was lower in patients with PCOS. Aortic stiffness (β index) was significantly increased and distensibility was decreased in PCOS patients compared to control subjects. Serum LCN2 levels and the presence of PCOS were associated with CIMT in Spearman correlation analysis (p=0.05 and p<0.001) in all participants. There was no statistically significant relationship between LCN2 levels and CIMT in patients with PCOS (p=0.238).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present study, we found that LCN2 levels were low in women with PCOS. Although our patients with PCOS had elevated cardiac risk, there was no correlation between LCN2 levels and early findings of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Medical Faculty, Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, Çanakkale, Turkey. Electronic address: meruray@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Meryem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gencer
authors.affiliation: Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Medical Faculty, Department of Cardiology, Çanakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gazi
authors.affiliation: Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Medical Faculty, Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, Çanakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Servet
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hacıvelioğlu
authors.affiliation: Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Medical Faculty, Department of Internal Medicine, Çanakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Binnetoğlu
authors.affiliation: Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Medical Faculty, Department of Cardiology, Çanakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barutçu
authors.affiliation: Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Medical Faculty, Department of Biochemistry, Çanakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Türkön
authors.affiliation: Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Medical Faculty, Department of Cardiology, Çanakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Temiz
authors.affiliation: Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Medical Faculty, Department of Cardiology, Çanakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Altun
authors.affiliation: Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Medical Faculty, Department of Microbiology, Çanakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vural
authors.affiliation: Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Medical Faculty, Department of Public Health, Çanakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cevizci
authors.affiliation: Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Medical Faculty, Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, Çanakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tuncer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kumcular
authors.affiliation: Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Medical Faculty, Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, Çanakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Coşar
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001011:Aorta / Q000503:physiopathology; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000097:blood*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D059289:Vascular Stiffness; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; C489506:LCN2 protein, human; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Echocardiography; Lipocalin-2; PCOS