Serum ferritin and C-reactive protein levels in the etiopathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome and its’ related conditions among early adulthood females

ABSTRACT Objective(s): We aimed to evaluate serum ferritin and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in early adulthood period with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to determine their roles in the etiopathogenesis of PCOS and clinical implications, including cardiovascular disease (CVD) and insulin resistance (IR), related to PCOS. Material and Method: A total of 125 participants, 68 PCOS and 57 control, were recruited prospectively for our study. Basal hormone levels, biochemical parameters, and serum ferritin and C-reactive protein levels were assessed. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and Ferriman-Gallway scores (FGS) were noted. BMI≥25 kg/m2 were accepted as obesity and WHR≥0.80 was defined as abdominal obesity. IR was determined when the homeostasis model assessment of IR index (HOMA-IR) more than 3.16 using the following formula: Fasting insulin (mU/ml)xFasting glucose (μmol/l)/22.5. CVD risk was accepted as the presence of at least two out of the criteria: 1. BMI>25 kg/m2, 2. WC≥80 cm, 3. IR, and 4. Dyslipidemia (The presence of at least one of the following criteria: Low density lipoprotein (LDL)≥110 mg/dl, high density lipoprotein (HDL)<35 mg/dl, trygliceride≥150 mg/dl, and cholesterol>170 mg/dl). The correlation between serum ferritin and CRP levels with antropometric, biochemical parameters and hormone levels and their predictive effect for the development of CVD risk and IR were assessed. Results: Age, menarche age, and basal hormone levels were similar between groups. BMI, WHR, FGS, dehidroepiandrostendion sulphat, glucose, and HDL was significantly decreased in PCOS group whereas trygliceride, LDL and cholesterol levels were distributed homogenously between groups. We could not found any difference in terms of serum ferritin and CRP levels between PCOS and control groups. Serum ferritin wasn’t correlated to age, BMI, WHR, and FGS, whereas, CRP was positively correlated with BMI. There wasn’t any association between investigated markers and biochemical parameters, and basal hormone levels. Any predictive effect of serum ferritin on the development of CVD risk was found among PCOS group and whole group. Serum CRP levels had positive predictive effect for the development of CVD among PCOS group and whole group. None of investigated markers were predictive for IR among POCS group and whole group even after adjustment for obesity and abdominal obesity. Conclusion(s): It seems to be any role of serum ferritin and CRP levels in the etiopathogenesis of PCOS in early adulthood period.