The effect of metformin treatment on ovarian stromal blood flow in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract

To evaluate the effects of metformin on the ovarian stromal blood perfusion in the patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Twenty-five women with PCOS who underwent a Doppler examination of the ovarian stroma was evaluated; hormonal, anthropometric, and biochemical parameters of patients were determined. After the patients were treated with 850 mg metformin twice a day for 6 months, the same parameters were evaluated in the same patients. After metformin treatment, although pulsatility index (PI) was increased from 1.80 +/- 1.23, 1.84 +/- 1.28 to 2.20 +/- 1.10, 2.19 +/- 0.83 in the right and left ovary, respectively, and resistance index was increased from 0.84 +/- 0.25, 0.83 +/- 0.23 to 1.16 +/- 0.37, 1.10 +/- 0.26 in the right and left ovary respectively (P < 0.05), peak systolic velocity (PSV) was decreased from 12.30 +/- 1.72, 12.34 +/- 1.55 to 10.25 +/- 0.97, 10.53 +/- 1.33 in the right and left ovary respectively (P < 0.05). PI and RI did not show any difference between the homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) >or= 2.38 and HOMA-IR < 2.38 groups before and after metformin treatment (P > 0.05). However, PSV was decreased significantly from 13.05 +/- 1.35, 12.82 +/- 2.02 to 11.03 +/- 0.71, 10.25 +/- 0.42 in HOMA-IR >or= 2.38 group in the right and left ovary, respectively, and PSV was decreased from 11.50 +/- 2.67, 11.28 +/- 0.26 to 9.10 +/- 0.58, 9.28 +/- 0.25 in HOMA-IR < 2.38 group in the right and left ovary, respectively, before and after metformin treatment (P < 0.05). PSV for both ovaries were positively correlated with HOMA scores before and after metformin treatment [(r = 0.713, P = 0.000; r = 0.617, P = 0.04 and r = 0.635, P= 0.03; r = 0.483, P = 0.031 respectively]. Metformin treatment affected ovarian stromal blood flow in PCOS patients.