Fertility and Sterility, cilt.93, sa.4, ss.1200-1207, 2010 (SCI-Expanded)
Objective: To determine serum interleukin (IL)-18 levels and to find out whether IL-18 is associated with carotid intima-media wall thickness (IMT) and various cardiovascular risk factors in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Design: A prospective, controlled study. Setting: University hospital. Patient(s): Sixty women with PCOS and 60 healthy women were included this study. Intervention(s): Serum levels IL-18, homocysteine (Hcy), C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6, malonyldialdehyde (MDA), lipid and hormone profiles were measured. Carotid IMT was evaluated for both common carotid arteries. Main Outcome Measure(s): Serum IL-18, carotid IMT, Hcy, CRP, IL-6, MDA, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. Result(s): The evaluation, which was made without the obesity influence taken into consideration, revealed that patients with PCOS have increased serum IL-18 levels than that of the control group (214 ± 102 vs. 170 ± 78 pg/mL). The interaction between PCOS and obesity was seen to have statistical significance (F = 67.8). Body mass index (BMI), waist to-hip ratio, Hcy, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance are independent determinants of plasma IL-18 in patients with PCOS. Elevated serum IL-18 levels were positively and significantly correlated with a greater carotid IMT. For Hcy and carotid IMT, the interaction between PCOS and obesity was found in a two-way ANOVA variation analysis (F = 48.5 and F = 81.5, respectively). Conclusion(s): Elevated serum IL-18 levels were associated with cardiovascular risk factors and carotid IMT in patients with PCOS. Crown Copyright © 2010.