Omentin-1 level in adolescents with polycystic ovarian syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Adipokines have been suggested to play an important role in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Omentin is an adipokine secreted essentially by visceral adipose tissue with an insulin-sensitizing effect. Insulin resistance (IR) is a common feature of PCOS, therefore the aim of this study was to investigate omentin-1 level in adolescent girls with PCOS and its relationship with IR and androgens. METHOD: A total of 41 obese girls with PCOS, and 30 age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched obese girls without PCOS were enrolled in the study. The demographic, clinic and laboratory characteristics of the groups were compared. Additionally, bivariate correlation analysis of omentin-1 with BMI standard deviation score (BMI-SDS), insulin, glucose, homeostatic model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR), total and free testosterone was performed. RESULTS: In the PCOS group HOMA-IR, free and total testosterone were higher than in the control group. Omentin-1 was lower in the PCOS group compared with the controls (55.01 ± 7.99 ng/mL vs 59.10 ± 7.02 ng/mL, respectively; P = 0.027). Omentin-1 was inversely correlated with free testosterone (r = -0.527, P = 0.030) and BMI-SDS (r = -0.241, P = 0.046) but it was not correlated with total testosterone, HOMA-IR, glucose, insulin or serum lipids. CONCLUSION: Omentin-1 was lower in obese girls with PCOS and hyperandrogenism was associated with this condition.

Serum oxidative stress parameters and paraoxonase-1 in children and adolescents exposed to passive smoking.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to secondhand smoke is too common in many countries. The mechanism of the detrimental effects of passive smoking on childhood health, however, is poorly described. The purpose of this study was therefore to examine the effect of passive smoking on total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), and paraoxonase-1 in children compared with healthy non-passive smokers. METHODS: This study included 40 children and adolescents passively exposed to cigarette smoke (as verified on urine cotinines) and 40 age- and gender-matched healthy controls not regularly exposed to cigarette smoke. TAS, TOS, and paraoxonase-1 were all measured, and the oxidative stress index (OSI) calculated for each child to determine the degree of oxidative stress. RESULTS: Age and gender distribution were not statistically different between the two groups (P = 0.619 and 0.712, respectively). Urine cotinine/creatinine was significantly higher in the passive smoking group (127.89 ± 57.14 ng/mL) compared with the controls (5.05 ± 16.66 ng/mL; P < 0.001). TAS was not different between the two groups (P = 0.767), but TOS and OSI were significantly higher for the passive smoke-exposed children (P < 0.001), and serum paraoxonase-1 was significantly lower than in the controls (P = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS: Secondhand smoke exposure is associated with increased oxidative stress and decreased paraoxonase-1 without any change in antioxidant status.