title: Serum ferritin levels and polycystic ovary syndrome in obese and nonobese women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to evaluate serum ferritin levels and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)-related complications in obese and nonobese women.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study included 539 (286 with PCOS and 253 without PCOS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum ferritin correlated with menstrual cycle length, sex hormone-binding globulin, total testosterone, androstenedione, triglyceride, and total cholesterol in both obese and nonobese women. Obese women with high ferritin levels exhibited higher insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, and liver enzymes (glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase) than obese women with low ferritin levels. However, among nonobese women, insulin resistance and risk of diabetes were not significantly different between the high and low ferritin groups. Independent of obesity, hypertriglyceridemia was the major metabolic disturbance observed in women with elevated serum ferritin levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated serum ferritin levels are associated with increased insulin resistance and risk of diabetes in obese women but not in nonobese women. However, higher serum ferritin levels were correlated with a greater risk of hyperglyceridemia in both obese and nonobese women. Therefore, hypertriglyceridemia in women with PCOS might be associated with iron metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Po-Chun
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shih-Yi
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clinic of Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: hsumingi@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Ming-I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chun-Sen
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Hsu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005293:Ferritins
keywords: ferritin; insulin resistance; metabolic syndrome; obesity; polycystic ovary syndrome