Comparison of serum adiponectin and osteopontin levels along with metabolic risk factors between obese and lean women with and without PCOS.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the possible relation between serum adiponectin and osteopontin levels as metabolic risk markers among women with different polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) phenotypes. In a University Hospital setting PCOS patients diagnosed according to Rotterdam Consensus Conference criteria with body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 35 were recruited. Overall, 57 PCOS patients and 57 age- and BMI-matched healthy controls were included in the study. Luteinising hormone (LH) to follicle-stimulating hormone FSH ratio (LH/FSH), free androgen index (FAI), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS-S) was found to be significantly higher in women with PCOS. There was significant interaction between PCOS status and obesity for serum adiponectin levels. Although mean adiponectin and osteopontin levels were similar among cases and controls, a further two-way ANOVA comparison within lean and obese subgroups revealed adiponectin to be significantly lower in lean PCOS women than in lean controls. LH/FSH ratio and adiponectin levels were all found to differ between lean counterparts; however, they did not show any correlation with metabolic markers [cholesterol, homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) or C-reactive protein (CRP) levels] in overall lean women or in the lean PCOS subgroup. Serum adiponectin levels in lean PCOS women were significantly lower than those in lean controls. On the other hand, mean adiponectin and osteopontin levels were similar in PCOS cases and controls overall.