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Bariatric Surgery Reduces Serum Anti-mullerian Hormone Levels in Obese Women With and Without Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

Obesity Surgery volume 27, pages 1750–1754 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

Obesity in fertile women has negative effect on fertility. Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) represents a good index of fertility, and it is considered a marker of ovarian reserve and of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) gravity. Previous studies evaluated the relationship between obesity and AMH with contradictory results.

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between obesity and AMH and the changes of AMH in obese women in reproductive age submitted to bariatric surgery.

Materials and Methods

Fifty-five obese patients between 18 and 39 years with (29 patients) and without PCOS (26 patients) were compared with a control group of normal weight women with (24 patients) and without PCOS (19 patients). Fourteen obese women with PCOS and 18 without PCOS underwent to bariatric surgery. Serum AMH, testosterone, androstenedione, and DHEAS were performed in all patients before and 1 year after surgical intervention.

Results

AMH was significantly higher in the PCOS groups (p < 0.001), both in obese (5.84 ± 3.94 ng/ml) and non-obese women (7.35 ± 4.39 ng/ml). AMH was positively related to testosterone (p < 0.0001), androstenedione (p = 0.0005), and DHEAS (p = 0.003). After bariatric surgery, AMH levels were reduced in the both PCOS (p = 0.02) and non-PCOS group (p = 0.04).

Conclusions

AMH levels are elevated in PCOS patients regardless of the body weight. Bariatric surgery is effective in the normalization of AMH levels (a possible indirect marker of better fertility) only in obese patients with PCOS.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, Viale M. Bracci 16, 53100, Siena, Italy

    Francesco Chiofalo, Cristina Ciuoli, Caterina Formichi, Federico Selmi, Raffaella Forleo, Ornella Neri, Patrizia Paffetti & Furio Pacini

  2. Department of Surgical Sciences, Bariatric Surgery Unit, University of Siena, Viale M. Bracci 16, 53100, Siena, Italy

    Giuseppe Vuolo

Authors
  1. Francesco Chiofalo
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  2. Cristina Ciuoli
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  3. Caterina Formichi
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  4. Federico Selmi
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  5. Raffaella Forleo
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  6. Ornella Neri
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  7. Giuseppe Vuolo
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  8. Patrizia Paffetti
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  9. Furio Pacini
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cristina Ciuoli.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

For this type of study, formal consent is not required.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Chiofalo, F., Ciuoli, C., Formichi, C. et al. Bariatric Surgery Reduces Serum Anti-mullerian Hormone Levels in Obese Women With and Without Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.. OBES SURG 27, 1750–1754 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-016-2528-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-016-2528-y

Keywords

  • Anti-mullerian hormone
  • Obesity
  • Bariatric surgery
  • Polycystic ovarian syndrome