Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Greek Adolescents with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Its Relationship with Body Mass Index
Anastasia Garoufi,
Athanasia Pagoni,
Maria Papadaki,
Antonios Marmarinos,
Georgios Karapostolakis,
Lina Michala,
Alexandra Soldatou
Affiliations
Anastasia Garoufi
Lipid Outpatient Unit, 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, “P. & A. Kyriakou” Children’s Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Thivon & Levadias Str., Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece
Athanasia Pagoni
Lipid Outpatient Unit, 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, “P. & A. Kyriakou” Children’s Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Thivon & Levadias Str., Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece
Maria Papadaki
Lipid Outpatient Unit, 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, “P. & A. Kyriakou” Children’s Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Thivon & Levadias Str., Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece
Antonios Marmarinos
Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry—Molecular Diagnostic, 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, NKUA, “P. & A. Kyriakou” Children’s Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece
Georgios Karapostolakis
Radiology Department, 401 Military General Hospital of Athens (MGHA), 138 Mesogeion Av., 11525 Athens, Greece
Lina Michala
First Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical School, Alexandra General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), 80 Vassilissis Sofias Av., 11528 Athens, Greece
Alexandra Soldatou
Lipid Outpatient Unit, 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, “P. & A. Kyriakou” Children’s Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Thivon & Levadias Str., Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine condition affecting 6–18% of adolescents and is strongly associated with obesity and cardiovascular risk factors, enhancing the risk of atherosclerosis. Thirty-two adolescents with newly diagnosed PCOS were evaluated for lipid profile disorders, insulin resistance, inflammation, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and subclinical atherosclerosis through measurements of carotid intima–media thickness (cIMT). The relationships of the above markers with increased body mass index and abdominal obesity were investigated. Twenty-three adolescents (72%) were overweight (OW) or obese (OB). The OW/OB group had significantly higher insulin, HOMA-IR, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), visceral adiposity index (VAI), and lipid accumulation product (LAP) levels; and lower glucose-per-insulin ratios and HDL-C levels compared to the healthy weight group. The cIMT and small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (sdLDL-C) levels did not differ between the two groups. Similarly, cIMT and sdLDL-C levels did not differ between PCOS-adolescents and healthy controls. CIMT was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure and waist circumference per height ratio. In conclusion, OW/OB PCOS-adolescents have a cluster of adverse factors predisposing them to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Therefore, early cardiovascular risk assessment, as well as timely and targeted interventions, are necessary for prevention.
