title: Association between red blood cell distribution width and polycystic ovary syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is being recognized as a marker of chronic inflammation and routinely reported as part of a complete blood count (CBC) without any additional costs. High levels of RDW associate with oxidative stress and cardiovascular disease risk. We aimed to investigate the relation between the level of RDW and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), HOMA-IR, BMI and body fat percentage in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional and observational studies were conducted in 90 subjects with PCOS and 87 age- and BMI-matched controls. Body fat percentage, CBC, fasting serum glucose, serum insulin, hs-CRP, lipids, and total and free-testosterone levels were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RDW levels were significantly higher in the PCOS group compared with the control group (12.98 ± 0.92% versus 12.59 ± 0.84%, p = 0.004). RDW levels were positively correlated with hs-CRP, HOMA-IR and BMI. Multivariate analysis showed that high-RDW levels were associated with PCOS. Subjects with the highest quartile RDW levels were nearly 2.8 times more likely to develop PCOS compared with subjects with the lowest quartile RDW. ROC curve analysis showed that RDW levels were useful as a diagnostic marker for PCOS. The optimal cut-off value for detecting PCOS was ≥12.54% (sensitivity 67% and specificity 70%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RDW levels were higher in women with PCOS, and high-RDW levels were independently associated with PCOS. This link in between RDW and PCOS may be due to an underlying chronic inflammation in subjects with PCOS.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Manisa Merkezefendi Hospital and Manisa Akhisar State Hospital , Merkezefendi , Manisa , Turkey .
authors.forename: Özgür
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: b Division of Endocrinology of Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine , Dokuz Eylul University Medical School , Inciralti , Izmir , Turkey .
authors.forename: Calan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mehmet
authors.affiliation: c Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Izmir Katip Celebi University Medical School , Karabaglar , Izmir , Turkey , and.
authors.forename: Sefa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kelekci
authors.affiliation: d Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Manisa Merkezefendi Hospital , Merkezefendi , Manisa , Turkey.
authors.forename: Muzaffer
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Temur
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004912:Erythrocytes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: Insulin resistance; inflammation; polycystic ovary syndrome; red blood cell distribution width