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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: EJE-08-0107v1 159/3/225    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Escobar-Morreale, H. F Articles by Millán, J. L S. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Escobar-Morreale, H. F Articles by Millán, J. L S.

Serum osteoprotegerin concentrations are decreased in women with the polycystic ovary syndrome

Departments of¹ Endocrinology² Molecular GeneticsHospital Ramón y Cajal & Universidad de Alcalá, and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, 28034 Madrid, Spain

(Correspondence should be addressed to H F Escobar-Morreale who is now at Department of Endocrinology, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal & Universidad de Alcalá, Carretera de Colmenar Km. 9.1, 28034 Madrid, Spain; Email: hescobarm.hrc{at}salud.madrid.org)

Objective: Osteoprotegerin (OPG), an inhibitor of osteoclastic bone resorption, has a variety of functions including anti-inflammatory effects and a possible cardiovascular protective role. Both low-grade chronic inflammation and cardiovascular risk are increased in women with the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). We aimed to study serum OPG concentrations in PCOS patients.

Design: Case–control study including 40 PCOS patients matched with 40 non-hyperandrogenic women for age and body mass index.

Methods: Basal serum sampling and standard oral glucose tolerance test, and measurement of serum OPG concentrations by commercial ELISA.

Results: Serum OPG concentrations were lower in women with PCOS compared with those of controls (304±120 vs 363±105 pg/ml respectively; F=7.641, P=0.007) independently of obesity. No differences were observed in serum receptor activator of nuclear factor-B ligand (RANKL) levels and in the RANKL/OPG molar ratio. A multivariate linear regression model (R²=0.208, F=6.579, P=0.001) showed that PCOS (β=–0.281, P=0.008), obesity (β=–0.245, P=0.022) and age (β=0.296, P=0.006) were predictive of serum OPG concentrations.

Conclusions: Serum OPG concentrations are reduced in PCOS patients independently of obesity. Considering the anti-inflammatory effects of OPG, its reduced serum concentrations might contribute to the proinflammatory state and cardiovascular risk of PCOS patients.