Serum vaspin and C-reactive protein levels in women with polycystic ovaries and polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to evaluate C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum vaspin levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or polycystic ovaries (PCO).

DESIGN: Twenty-four women with PCOS and 23 women with PCO constituted the study groups. The control group comprised 24 healthy women.

METHODS: Homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), CRP and serum vaspin levels were measured. The receiver-operating characteristic curve (ROC) of vaspin for prediction of women with increased diabetogenic risk was constructed.

RESULTS: The three groups did not significantly differ in age and body mass index. HOMA-IR was significantly higher in the PCOS and PCO groups than in control group. Median CRP levels in the control, PCO and PCOS groups were 0.66, 1.28 and 3.2 mg/l, respectively (p = 0.0001). Women with PCOS had significantly higher serum vaspin levels than the healthy controls [3.52 ± 1.38 vs. 0.36 ± 0.19 ng/ml, p = 0.0001]. Serum vaspin could differentiate between women with and without increased diabetogenic risk at a cut-off value of 1.82 ng/ml with a sensitivity of 83.3% and a specificity of 66.1%.

CONCLUSION: The results of our study showed that the presence of the increased vaspin, CRP and higher HOMA-IR levels in women with PCOS and PCO could contribute to increased diabetogenic and atherogenic risk in these patients.