Status of Homocysteine in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disease in women of reproductive age and is estimated to affect 5-10 % of the population. Women with PCOS have a clustering of cardiovascular risk factors, such as obesity, dyslipidemia, impaired glucose tolerance and hypertension. Homocysteine has been recognized recently as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Preliminary investigations suggest that high sensitivity C-reactive protein, homocysteine and adiponectin are abnormal in women with PCOS. The possible determinants of elevated homocysteine concentration are still debated among authors who found significant correlations between homocysteine and insulin resistance or hyperandrogenism. Aim: The purpose of this study is to evaluate homocysteine levels in the PCOS population compared with controls. Materials and Methods: Study group comprised of 142 women with PCOS and 65 healthy non-PCOS controls. Body mass index (BM1), Waist circumference and serum homocysteine were measured in PCOS subjects and age matched controls. Statastical Analysis: All values are expressed as mean SD. The results obtained are analysed statistically using the unpaired student t-test to evaluate the significance of differences between the mean values. Results: The mean BM1, Waist circumference and serum homocysteine values are significantly increased in PCOS subjects when compared with non PCOS controls. Conclusion: The present study has demonstrated increase in mean serum homocysteine concentrations in women with PCOS.