Intertwined reproductive endocrinology: Puberty and polycystic ovary syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome and body image concerns during adolescence

PURPOSE

This study aimed to compare body image concerns in adolescents with and without PCOS.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 1076 adolescents, including 344 with PCOS and 732 without PCOS. The participants were asked to complete a comprehensive questionnaire that included demographic and reproductive parameters and the body image concerns inventory (BICI) which comprised two factors (1-dissatisfaction and embarrassment about one's appearance and 2-social function due to appearance concerns). Linear regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of hyperandrogenism and/or abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) and/or obesity on BICI and its domains both before and after adjustment for potential confounders.

RESULTS

The result showed that adolescents with PCOS had a worse total BICI score and its domains (p < 0.05). In multivariable-adjusted regression models, adolescents with PCOS were more likely to have a high body image concern (β = 0.05, P < 0.001), while those with high household income were less likely to have body image concern (β = -0.08, P = 0.004). Considering hyperandrogenism status, those with high household income were also less likely to have high body image concern (β = -0.08, P = 0.004), and age of menarche (β = -0.01, P = 0.013) were also inversely associated with total BICI score. Likewise, considering obese status, only high household income (β = -0.08, P = 0.004) was inversely associated with total BICI score. Also, considering menstrual irregularity status, high household income (β = -0.08, P = 0.005), and age of menarche (β = -0.01, P = 0.01) were inversely associated with the total BICI score.

CONCLUSION

Adolescents with PCOS had higher body image concerns. Apart from the being PCOS label, abnormal uterine bleeding was also a predictor of body image concern.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Clinicians should pay attention to the greater influence of the PCOS label on altered body image in adolescents.

Effect of basal luteinizing hormone (bLH) level on in vitro fertilization/intra-cytoplasmic injections (IVF/ICSI) outcomes in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) patients

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of basal luteinizing hormone (bLH) levels on In Vitro Fertilization/Intra-Cytoplasmic Injections (IVF/ICSI) outcomes in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

METHODS

A total of 256 PCOS patients who underwent IVF/ICSI treatment in our center from January 2018 to January 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were based on the third quartile (12.455) of the basal LH value was taken as the cut-off value and was divided into high and low LH group: high LH group (LH ≥ 12.455 IU / L) and low LH group (LH < 12.455 IU / L) and the OC group was pretreated with oral contraceptives. The outcomes in ovulation induction and embryo transfer cycles of the three groups were then compared. In addition, factors influencing the number of good quality embryos and the early onset LH peak were analyzed.

RESULTS

Ages, infertility duration, body mass index (BMI), and basal follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and progesterone (P), testosterone (T) levels were not significantly different among the three groups (p > 0.05). However,there were significant differences in basal LH and basal E2 between low LH group and high LH group, and there were significant differences in basal LH between high LH group and OC group (p < 0.05). LH on the antagonist day was significantly different between low LH group and high LH group and between high LH group and OC group (p < 0.05). LH on the hCG (human Chorionic Gonadotropin) day there were significant differences between low LH group and OC group, high LH group and OC group (p < 0.05). The Mode of triggering between the three groups had significant differences between the two groups (p < 0.05). In addition, the number of days from gonadotropin (Gn) initiation to antagonist addition were significantly different among the three groups (p < 0.05). In addition, total Gn doses,the number of oocytes retrieved, the number of Gn days, 2pronucleus (2PN) numbers, number of good quality embryos, and number of high risk OHSS (Ovarian Hyper-stimulation Syndrome), cases with OHSS occurrences were not significantly different among the three groups (p > 0.05). Moreover, the cycle and clinical pregnancy outcomes and the cumulative clinical pregnancy rate and the cumulative live birth rate were not significantly different among the three groups (p > 0.05). LH levels on the day of antagonist addition affected the number of good-quality embryos (B < 0, p < 0.05). However, LH levels on the day antagonist was added were not significantly correlated with basal LH levels (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.259), the ROC curve was constructed for the logistic prediction model of the early onset LH peak, and the AUC value was 0.747, indicating that the logistic combined model we constructed had a good ability to predict the early onset LH peak.

CONCLUSION

Basal LH levels do not affect the pregnancy outcomes in PCOS patients after antagonist protocols. Besides, LH levels on the day of antagonist addition affect the number of good quality embryos for PCOS patients undergoing IVF /ICSI.

Role and mechanism of alpa1-antitrypsin in polycystic ovary syndrome

OBJECTIVES

To determine the relationships among alpha1-antitrypsin (A1AT), pro-inflammatory cytokines, neutrophil elastase (NE), interleukin (IL)- 1β, and IL-8 in cases with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

METHODS

Female rats in the control group were fed and watered normally. Female rats in the PCOS group were given high-fat diets and letrozole (1% carboxymethyl cellulose' [CMC] solution) CMC by gavage at a dose of l mg/kg body weight daily for 23 days. The mRNA levels of A1AT and NE in rat ovaries were detected by performing real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the laboratory of Norman Bethune College of Medicine, Jilin University, China in 2017. All serum samples were collected from the Second Hospital of Jilin University from October 2021 to November 2021 for obesity concurrent with PCOS. Molecular docking of A1AT with NE, IL-8, and IL-1β was investigated using the Insight II software ZDOCK tool. This study was carried out at the Reproductive Center, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China from June 2021 to July 2022.

RESULTS

The expression of the A1AT mRNA decreased in the ovary tissues of PCOS rats relative to that of healthy controls, while the expression of NE mRNA increased compared to that of normal controls. The serum A1AT expression in PCOS cases decreased considerably relative to their expression in normal controls. However, the expression of NE, IL-1β, and IL-8 increased significantly relative to their expression in the control (p<0.05 for all). The Insight II ZDOCK molecular docking simulations showed that A1AT has direct interaction sites for NE, IL-1β, and IL-8.

CONCLUSION

Alpha1-antitrypsin is closely associated with NE, IL-1β, and IL-8. Therefore, we speculate that A1AT might ameliorate PCOS symptoms by inhibiting pro-inflammatory factors: NE, IL-1β, and IL-8.

Impact of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome on Silent Coronary Artery Disease and Cardiovascular Events; A Long-term Population-based Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

The existing data regarding the impact of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) on the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) are conflicting.

AIM

To explore the effect of PCOS status on the occurrence of silent coronary artery disease (CAD)/CVD.

METHODS

A total of 1591 women without CVD at baseline, aged 18-45 years, including 356 PCOS patients (defined by the Rotterdam criteria) and 1235 eumenorrheic non-hirsute women without polycystic ovarian morphology (controls), were selected from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS). The median follow-up was 15.4 years, and most participants were in their late reproductive years at the end of the study. Silent CAD and CVD outcomes in PCOS and control groups were compared according to the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and cumulative hazard functions.

RESULTS

There was no difference in CVD risk factors between the PCOS and control groups. After controlling for confounders, PCOS status did not increase the risk of silent CAD (HR: 0.96, 95% CI 0.86-1.08). Regardless of PCOS status, women with a history of silent CAD showed 2.25 times higher CVD events than those without this history (95% CI 1.63-3.10). PCOS status reduced the CVD incidence by 42%, independently of silent CAD or traditional risk factors (HR: 0.58, 95% CI 0.35-0.98).

CONCLUSIONS

Whereas silent CAD, regardless of PCOS, accelerated CVD, PCOS preserved it, most likely due to a combination of protective factors, including the endocrine pattern in the late reproductive period, environmental/social elements, and recruiting additional counseling and lifestyle modifications.