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Objective: To test the hypothesis that plasma visfatin concentrations will be higher in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) than in women without PCOS. Design: Clinical study. Setting: University hospital. Patient(s): A total of 52 women were evaluated. Twenty-six had PCOS, and the remaining 26 were healthy women with regular menstrual cycles who served as control subjects. Intervention(s): Plasma visfatin concentrations were analyzed with the use of RIA. Main Outcome Measure(s): Serum concentrations of FSH, LH, TSH, PRL, T, insulin, E2, and visfatin. Result(s): Plasma visfatin concentrations were significantly higher in the PCOS group (336.8 ± 50.2 ng/mL) than in the healthy control group (282.4 ± 43.3 ng/mL). Logistic regression analysis indicated a significant association between odds ratio (OR) values of PCOS and visfatin levels (OR = 2.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.74–2.90), T (OR = 3.39; 95% CI, 2.85–4.16), and LH levels (OR = 3.49; 95% CI, 2.79–4.56). There was no correlation between plasma visfatin concentrations and T, insulin, and LH levels or age in either the PCOS group or the control group. We observed that plasma visfatin levels were positively correlated with body mass index in the PCOS group (r = 0.396, r 2 = 0.157) but not in the control group (r = −0.328, r 2 = 0.108). Conclusion(s): Our data show that women with PCOS exhibit higher plasma visfatin levels than control subjects of similar body mass index. Further studies are required to clarify the etiology and effects of hypervisfatinemia in women with PCOS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To compare the concentrations of visfatin in the plasma with those in follicular fluid of women undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation and to discover their correlation to the number of oocytes retrieved. Further, to examine whether FSH or hCG affects the expression of visfatin and whether visfatin affects COX-2 expression in cultured granulosa luteal (GL) cells. Design: A clinical and in vitro study. Setting: University hospital. Patient(s): Women subjected to IVF procedures were enrolled in the study. Intervention(s): Plasma and follicular fluid visfatin levels were analyzed using ELISA. HCG, FSH, PGE2 and visfatin were added to cultured GL cells. Main Outcome Measure(s): Enzyme immunoassay and RT-PCR were performed. Result(s): There was no correlation between follicular fluid and plasma visfatin levels (r = 0.443). The number of oocytes retrieved was significantly correlated to follicular visfatin levels in multiple linear regression analysis (r = 0.891, r2 = 0.794). In vitro experiments on GL cells revealed that hCG and PGE2 considerably increased visfatin mRNA expression. FSH did not affect visfatin mRNA expression. Treatment with visfatin caused an induction of COX-2 mRNA. Conclusions: The follicular fluid visfatin concentrations are correlated to the number of oocytes retrieved. Human GL cells produce visfatin, and visfatin synthesis is increased by hCG and PGE2 treatment. Visfatin can induce expression of COX-2 mRNA in GL cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To test whether there was a difference in serum retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) levels between subjects with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and those with a healthy regular menstrual cycle and, in addition, to correlate serum RBP4 levels with a variety of parameters. Design: Clinical study. Setting: University hospital. Patient(s): A total of 74 nonobese women were evaluated. Thirty-seven had PCOS, whereas the remaining 37 served as control subjects. Intervention(s): Serum RBP4 levels were analyzed using ELISA. Main Outcome Measure(s): Serum levels of FSH, LH, TSH, E2, T, insulin, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, and RBP4. Result(s): The women with PCOS had higher levels of serum RBP4, waist-to-hip ratio, LH, T, insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Logistic regression analyses revealed a significant association between odds ratio (OR) values of PCOS and both T (OR = 1.125; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.050–1.205), and cholesterol levels (OR = 1.029; 95% CI 1.004–1.056). Age and triglycerides were significantly correlated to serum RBP4 levels by multiple linear regression analysis. Conclusion(s): Our study has shown that [1] elevated RBP4 levels might arise from triglyceride metabolism, and that RBP4 levels might not be influenced by PCOS itself. [2] RBP4 might not be a useful marker of insulin resistance in subjects with PCOS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]