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Relationships between circulating leptin concentrations and other hormonal parameters in obese and non-obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome

  • Original Article
  • Endocrinology
  • Published:
Reproductive Medicine and Biology

Abstract

Aim

To clarify the role of leptin in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), we analyzed whether serum leptin levels correlate with other hormonal parameters in obese and non-obese women with PCOS.

Methods

We studied 20 obese (body mass index, BM ≥25kg/ m2) and 20 non-obese (BMI < 25kg/m2) women with PCOS diagnosed by the existence of menstrual disturbance, elevated serum level of luteinizing hormone (LH) with normal follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and the characteristic polycystic appearance of the ovaries on transvaginal ultrasound images. Blood samples for LH, FSH, estradiol, testosterone (T), androstenedione (Δ4) and leptin were obtained, and the relationships between variables were examined by calculating Spearman correlation coefficients.

Results

Mean levels of leptin, T and Δ4 in obese PCOS women were significantly higher than those in non-obese PCOS women, but this was not the case for BMI, bodyweight and waist to hip ratio. In all the 40 PCOS women considered together, there were significant positive correlations of leptin with BMI, waist to hip ratio, and Δ4 levels. However, in each group separately, serum leptin levels in obese PCOS women correlated only with BMI and bodyweight, whereas serum leptin levels in non-obese PCOS women correlated with serum Δ4 levels.

Conclusion

Although further study is needed to assess the role of leptin on ovarian function in non-obese women with PCOS, present findings do not support the fact that leptin is involved in the development of hormonal abnormalities in obese women with PCOS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gunma University School of Medicine, Gunma, 3-39-22 Showa-machi, 371-8511, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan

    Nobumasa Kikuchi, Kazumichi Andoh & Takashi Minegishi

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan

    Hideki Mizunuma

Authors
  1. Nobumasa Kikuchi
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  2. Kazumichi Andoh
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  3. Hideki Mizunuma
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  4. Takashi Minegishi
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Correspondence to Nobumasa Kikuchi.

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Kikuchi, N., Andoh, K., Mizunuma, H. et al. Relationships between circulating leptin concentrations and other hormonal parameters in obese and non-obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Reprod Med Biol 1, 49–54 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1445-5781.2002.00008.x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1445-5781.2002.00008.x

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