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Increased fibulin-1 plasma levels in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients: possible contribution to the link between PCOS and cardiovascular risk

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate a possible relation between fibulin-1 plasma levels and PCOS.

Design

ELISA quantitative determination of human fibulin-1.

Methods

50 women with PCOS and 40 control patients who attended the Unit of Human Reproductive Pathophysiology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, were enrolled. Ultrasonographic pelvic examinations, hormonal profile assays, oral tolerance test OGTT, lipid profile and ELISA quantitative determination of human fibulin-1 were performed.

Results

Fibulin-1 levels were found to be statistically significantly higher in PCOS patients than in matched control women. No statistically significant positive correlation was found between fibulin-1 and AUCi, HOMA-IR, total cholesterol, LDL, AMH, androstenedione and FAI, whereas a statistically significant positive correlation was found between fibulin-1 and 17OHP (p = 0.016) in the PCOS group. However, multivariable linear regression analysis showed that 17 OH P did not independently predict fibulin-1 levels (p = 0.089).

Conclusions

Our data could contribute to explain the hypothesized increased cardiovascular risk and vascular damage in patients with PCOS. A better understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in cardiometabolic disorders associated with PCOS is mandatory to identify new therapeutic strategies to eventually prevent the progression of cardiovascular diseases in these patients.

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Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.

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Author notes

  1. E. Scarinci and A. Tropea contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, L.go Agostino Gemelli, 8, 00168, Rome, Italy

    E. Scarinci, A. Tropea, G. Notaristefano, C. Messana, O. Alesiani, S. M. Fabozzi, A. Lanzone & R. Apa

  2. Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy

    G. Russo

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  1. E. Scarinci
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  2. A. Tropea
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Correspondence to E. Scarinci.

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Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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

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A. Lanzone and R. Apa shared senior authorship.

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Scarinci, E., Tropea, A., Russo, G. et al. Increased fibulin-1 plasma levels in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients: possible contribution to the link between PCOS and cardiovascular risk. J Endocrinol Invest 42, 91–96 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-018-0891-3

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