Impact of body mass index and vitamin D on serum AMH levels and antral follicle count in PCOS.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of body mass index (BMI) values and 25(OH) vitamin D levels determined by Endocrine Society on serum Anti Mullerian Hormone (AMH) and antral follicle count (AFC) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty infertile women with PCOS and 30 age-matched women with unexplained infertility (UEI), were included. Patients in PCOS and control groups were divided into three subgroups according to their BMI values as normal, overweight and obese. Each BMI group was divided into three subgroups according to vitamin D levels. While AMH and vitamin D levels were determined at first admission, AFC was measured on the third day of cycle. RESULTS: BMI, AFC, and AMH levels of women with PCOS were significantly higher than the UEI group. AMH values of women with PCOS with normal BMI were found to be significantly higher than UEI controls with normal BMI. AMH values of overweight and obese PCOS patients and controls were similar. As BMI values of the PCOS group increased, vitamin D levels decreased significantly. Vitamin D levels of the patients in the PCOS group were found to be significantly lower than the control group. When evaluated according to BMI, the vitamin D levels of normal, overweight and obese women with PCOS were significantly lower than the UEI. CONCLUSIONS: Rising BMI in PCOS leads to a significant decrease in vitamin D and AMH. Deficiency, insufficiency or normality of vitamin D do not affect the main markers of ovarian reserve.

Preliminary results of blood growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9) measurement in cats: future aspects of GDF-9 on stage of the cycle and spaying history.

Growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9), an oocyte-derived member of the TGF-ß superfamily, plays an essential role in regulation of follicular development. This study aimed to determine the cyclic changes in serum GDF-9 concentration, compare its levels before and after ovariohysterectomy (OHE), and investigate its potential as a tool in ovarian remnant syndrome (ORS) diagnosis in cats. GDF-9 measurements were performed on 50 cats referred for routine OHE. The stage of the estrous cycle was determined by vaginal cytology and measurement of serum estradiol and progesterone levels was carried out to detect the cyclic changes in circulating GDF-9. One week after OHE, serum samples were collected again from 30 cats to reveal differences in GDF-9 levels. GDF-9 levels in the follicular phase were significantly higher than those in the interestrus (p⟨0.05). The postoperative analysis could be performed. GDF-9 levels slightly decreased one week after OHE (p=0.053). In conclusion, blood GDF-9 levels change during the estrous cycle, and may decrease with age in cats. However, further studies are needed to reveal the efficiency of GDF-9 in ORS diagnosis.