Comparison of metformin and cyproterone-estrodiol compound effect on hs C-reactive protein and serum androgen levels in patients with poly cystic ovary syndrome

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was comparison of the effects of Metformin and Cyproterone-estradiol compound on serum androgens and highly sensitive C-reactive protein levels. Sixty patients with Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome [PCOS] were enrolled in this study conducted during a period of 16 months from December 2004 to March 2006. Thirty subjects were in each group and treated with Metformin one gram per day or Cyproterone-estradiol compound 21 days monthly and at the beginning and after 3 and 6 months, weight, height, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate [DHEA-S] and hs-CRP levels were measured. Mean age of patients was 23.5 +/- 8.7 years with the range of 15 to 49 years. In both groups significant decreases in DHEA-S levels and in Cyproterone-estradiol compound group a significant decrease in testosterone levels were seen after 6 months, but there were no significant decrease on hs-CRP levels. Comparison of two groups showed that there were no significant differences in the effects of these two drugs on serum testosterone, DHEA-S and hs-CRP levels. In our study the level of hs-CRP at the beginning of treatment were significantly higher in patients who were overweight and obese. Also we found that Cyproterone-estradiol compound causes significant decrease at the level of hs-CRP in overweight and obese patients. The results of this study are different from those of previous studies about beneficial effects of Metformin on hs-CRP levels but are similar to the results of studies that revealed probably obesity and overweight has important role in inducing inflammation and increasing CRP levels