Endocrine Abstracts

Context: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common and complex endocrine disorder. Emerging animal and human data point out to various changes in microbiota that could be linked with the syndrome. However, the effects of therapeutic approaches on gut microbial composition in women with PCOS remain unknown.

Objective: We aimed to assess whether gut microbial composition is altered in overweight/obese women with PCOS and to determine potential impact of oral contraceptive (OC) use on gut microbiota.

Materials and methods: The current study included 17 overweight/obese patients with PCOS and 15 age- and BMI-matched healthy control women. At baseline, clinical, hormonal and metabolic evaluations and gut microbial composition assessment by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing were performed after a 3-day standardized diet. Patients received dienogest-ethinylestradiol (2 mg/0.03 mg) therapy along with general dietary advice for three months after which all measurements were repeated.

Results: Women with PCOS had higher total testosterone (T) and free androgen index (FAI) levels than healthy control women whereas whole body fat mass, fasting plasma glucose, insulin and lipids were similar between the groups. Alpha and beta diversity did not show a difference between PCOS and healthy controls at baseline and remained unaltered after 3 months of OC use in the PCOS group. Relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae family was higher in PCOS patients (P = 0.006) and did not show an alteration after treatment.

Conclusion: Relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae family is increased in women with PCOS whereas short-term OC use does not alter compositional features of gut microbiota in the syndrome.