PURPOSE: to compare serum homocysteine levels in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and non-PCOS women and correlate them with clinical, hormonal and metabolic parameters. METHODS: transverse study with carried out on 110 women, including 56 with PCOS and 54 normal controls. Patients were submitted to anamnesis, physical examination and pelvic sonograms and to the determination of homocysteine, C-reactive protein (CRP), glucose insulin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxin (Free T4), prolactin, and testosterone. For the statistical analysis, we used the Student's t test, Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient and the χ2 test. The "enter" method was used to determine independent association between variables. RESULTS: there was a significant increase in the average serum homocysteine levels in the group of patients with PCOS compared to controls (5.97±2.95 versus 5,17±1.33 µmol/L; p=0,015). As expected, since they are affected by PCOS, values of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin and HOMA were significantly different between groups. Serum homocysteine levels, BMI and PCOS were correlated. Multivariate analysis showed that PCOS, by itself, does not correlate with high serum homocysteine levels. CONCLUSIONS: PCOS women have significantly higher serum levels of homocysteine that may increase their risk for cardiovascular disease. However, other intrinsic PCOS-related factors, not identified in this study, may be responsible for this alteration.
Polycystic ovary syndrome; Homocysteine; Cardiovascular diseases; Insulin resistance; Lipids
