Polycystic ovary syndrome and low-grade inflammation with special reference to YKL-40.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the plasma level of YKL-40 in a Danish polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) population and to investigate whether YKL-40 is associated with CVD risk factors such as waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), insulin resistance (IR), fasting glucose, fasting insulin, blood lipids and CRP. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Gynecological clinics at three Danish University Hospitals. PATIENTS: One hundred seventy-one premenopausal women with PCOS recruited consecutively from April 2010 to February 2012. PCOS was diagnosed according to the Rotterdam criteria. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Plasma level of YKL-40 in four phenotypes of PCOS defined by BMI and IR. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was observed in the plasma level of YKL-40 across the four BMI/IR-phenotypes. Positive associations were observed between YKL-40 and BMI, total and free testosterone, triglycerides, and CRP. Total and free testosterone were independent predictors of YKL-40. CONCLUSION: YKL-40, the marker of low-grade inflammation is not increased in women with PCOS.

Polycystic ovary syndrome: infertility, cardiovascular, metabolic and obstetrical risks, laboratory and clinical outcomes -- the PICOLO Study.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this multicenter study is to evaluate the relative impact of insulin resistance (IR) and body mass index (BMI) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) on (1) Key hemodynamic/thrombogenic variables, (2) Oocyte quality and early embryo development, (3) Fetal growth, placental function and adverse obstetric outcome. SECONDARY OBJECTIVE: To establish a PCOS database and biobank facilitating future basic and interventional research related to PCOS. DESIGN: A cross-sectional and longitudinal cohort study at four University Hospitals in Denmark. POPULATION INCLUSION: About 200 women fulfilling the Rotterdam Criteria and 100 women without PCOS recruited from 2010 to 2012. METHODS: The impact of PCOS, as well as the impact of IR and BMI on the hormonal, metabolic and hemostatic key variables will be analyzed combining conventional, molecular techniques and selected gene analysis. Oocytes will be characterized by gene expression of granulosa and cumulus cells and the early embryo development will be followed by time lapse microscopy. Fetal growth will be assessed by repeated ultrasound measurements, and the pregnancy outcome compared to maternal and fetal biochemical markers of growth and inflammation and clinical pregnancy complications. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Metabolic and hemostatic risk-biomarkers, oocyte and embryo quality, adverse pregnancy outcome, fetal growth and placental function in women with PCOS.