Endocrine Abstracts

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disturbance in women of reproductive age, thought to be linked to increased cardiovascular risk in later life. Cardiovascular risk factors are usually present even at younger age and this suggests that the chronic disturbances in hormonal and metabolic status typical for the syndrome predispose the patients to development of early atherosclerosis and premature clinical presentation of cardiovascular disease. NT-pro-BNP was shown to have a high predictive value regarding cardiovascular events in patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy especially in those without overt cardiovascular disease.

The aim of the study is to investigate the importance of NT-pro-BNP as a predictive factor in relation to other classical cardiovascular risk factors.

Methods: Seventy Bulgarian women aged 18–45 years with PCOS (ESHRE-ASRM criteria) and/or obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) participated in this cross-sectional study. NT-pro-BNP was determined with electrochemiluminescence sandwich immunoassay method.

Results: There was no statistical difference between NT-pro-BNP levels (mean±S.D.) in obese (46.9±57.0), lean PCOS (43.5±52.9) and obese PCOS (47.9±37.7) patients, between patients with or without metabolic syndrome and between patients with different cardiovascular risk according to androgen excess and polycystic ovary syndrome (AE-PCOS) society consensus. The rate of patients with NT-pro-BNP levels above the cut-off of 103 pg/ml is not statistically different between the groups. NT-pro-BNP does not show significant correlation to age, weight, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-stature ratio, systolic or diastolic blood pressure and results from OGTT except from immunoreactive insulin levels on 120 min. NT-pro-BNP correlates weakly with HDL-C, but not with other indices of lipid profile.

Conclusions: In this relatively young female population NT-pro-BNP levels did not show to be an important marker for increased cardiovascular risk.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This work was supported, however funding details unavailable.