title: High plasma homocysteine and insulin resistance in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common disease among women in fertility ages and cause severe insulin resistance. Hyperhomocysteinaemia is said to be among the features of PCOS that could influence its outcome.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate whether hyperhomocysteinaemia exists in PCOS and if it is related to insulin resistance in the affected patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study was carried out in a university based fertility clinic. Sixty four PCOS patients and 50 normo ovulatory controls were reviewed for fasting glucose, insulin, homocysteine, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) plasma levels in the blood sample of the 3(rd) day of their menstrual cycle. Insulin resistance was determined with the fasting glucose (mmol/L) to insulin (mIU/L) ratio and HOMA-IR (Homeostasis model assessment-Insulin resistance). Independent-samples T-test and linear regression test were utilized to analyze the obtained data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Homocysteine levels compared between PCOS patients and control group showed a significant difference. PCOS group was divided into insulin resistant (IR) (LogHOMA-IR≥0.57) and non insulin resistant (NIR) patients. The IR group had significantly higher homocysteine (p-value=0.02), fasting insulin and glucose levels (p-value<0.001) rather than NIR group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCOS patients have a leaning toward hyperhomocysteinaemia and insulin resistance. Insulin resistant patients are found to have higher homocysteine level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mirza Kouchak Khan Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Tayebe
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hemati
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mirza Kouchak Khan Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Nasrin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moghadami-Tabrizi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mirza Kouchak Khan Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fateme
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Davari-Tanha
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Bahram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Salmanian
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Pouya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Javadian
keywords: Homocysteine; Infertility; Insulin resistance; PCOS