Do young women with polycystic ovary syndrome show early evidence of preclinical coronary artery disease?
GROUND: It is thought that women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: In this study, we used transthoracic echocardiography to measure coronary flow reserve (CFR) in 28 women with PCOS and in 26 healthy women. RESULTS: The PCOS and the control groups were similar in terms of age (27.1 ± 4.5 versus 28.8 ± 4.4 years) and BMI (26.6 ± 5.7 versus 24.7 ± 4.4 kg/m2). Fasting insulin levels and homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index were higher in the PCOS group. LH, the LH/FSH ratio, total testosterone, free testosterone and androstenedione were higher in the PCOS group. FSH, estradiol, prol-actin, progesterone, cholesterol, triglyceride and high-sensitive C-reactive protein were similar between the two groups, but homocysteine levels were higher in the PCOS group. Baseline diastolic peak flow velocity (DPFV) (25.0 ± 4.6 versus 23.3 ± 2.7 cm/s, P > 0.05), hyperaemic DPFV (71.2 ± 12.8 versus 73.0 ± 12.9 cm/s,
