Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and type 1 diabetes (T1DM) are accompanied by an increased risk of cardiovascular complications. The higher prevalence of PCOS in T1DM was reported and thus T1DM women with PCOS exhibit a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases. Soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) and intercellular adhesion cell molecule-1 (sICAM-1) are considered as an early markers of atherosclerosis.

Aim: We aimed to evaluate plasma levels of sE-selectin and sICAM-1 in T1DM women with PCOS (T1DM+PCOS) and in age-matched, BMI-matched women with PCOS without diabetes (PCOS) and T1DM without PCOS (T1DM–no PCOS). We also estimated the relation of studied adhesion molecules with clinical and phenotypic parameters.

Study participants and methods: We studied 37 women with T1DM – ten women with T1DM+PCOS and 17 women T1DM–no PCOS, 33 women with PCOS, and 15 healthy women (control group). The clinical examination, concentrations of plasma sE-selectin, sICAM-1, hormonal profile and ultrasonographic evaluation of ovaries were performed in all women. Insulin sensitivity in T1DM was calculated using estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR).

Results: Plasma concentrations of sICAM-1 and sE-selectin did not differ between all groups and were positively associated with adiposity measures in studied groups. In entire T1DM group we found a relationship of sE-selectin and sICAM-1 with eGDR (r=−0.468, P=0.013 and r=−0.536, P=0.003) and sE-selectin with HbA1c (r=0.445, P=0.019). sE-selectin correlated with insulin dose in T1DM+PCOS (r=0.790, P=0.006) and in T1DM–no PCOS (r=0.519, P=0.032). In T1DM+PCOS sE-selectin was related to the number of ovarian follicles (r=0.762, P=0.01). In PCOS the association of sICAM-1 with the follicle count (r=0.449, P=0.018) was observed.

Conclusion: T1DM+PCOS women do not exhibit higher concentration of adhesion molecules and present similar associations between adhesion molecules and clinical parameters in comparison to studied groups. The observation about relation of adhesion molecules with follicle count in T1DM+PCOS and PCOS group requires further study.