Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology (Dec 2010)

The effects of obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome on serum lipocalin-2 levels: a cross-sectional study

  • Kalaitzakis Emmanuil,
  • Delkos Dimitrios,
  • Tsourdi Elena,
  • Kandaraki Eleni A,
  • Koiou Ekaterini,
  • Tziomalos Konstantinos,
  • Panidis Dimitrios,
  • Katsikis Ilias

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7827-8-151
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 1
p. 151

Abstract

Read online

Abstract Background Lipocalin-2 is a novel adipokine that appears to play a role in the development of insulin resistance. Serum lipocalin-2 levels are elevated in obese patients. Obesity and insulin resistance are cardinal characteristics of the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, there are limited data on serum lipocalin-2 levels in patients with PCOS. The aim of the present study was to assess serum lipocalin-2 levels in PCOS. Methods We studied 200 patients with PCOS and 50 healthy female volunteers. Results Serum lipocalin-2 levels were slightly higher in women with PCOS compared with controls (65.4 +/- 34.3 vs. 60.3 +/- 26.0 ng/ml, respectively) but this difference did not reach statistical significance. In contrast, lipocalin-2 levels were higher in overweight/obese women with PCOS than in normal weight women with the syndrome (76.2 +/- 37.3 vs. 54.5 +/- 27.2 ng/ml, respectively; p Conclusions Obesity is associated with elevated serum lipocalin-2 levels. In contrast, PCOS does not appear to affect lipocalin-2 levels.