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Endocrine Abstracts (2016) 41 GP182 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.41.GP182

1Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine (PCOS Research Group), Bozyaka Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey; 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (PCOS Research Group), Manisa Merkezefendi State Hospital, Manisa, Turkey; 3Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey; 4Department of Bioengineering, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey; 5Department of Biotechnology, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.


Context: Betatrophin is a newly identified hormone appreciated for its role as a potent inducer of beta cell proliferation in line with insulin resistance in mice. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an inflammatory-based metabolic disease associated with insulin resistance. However, no evidence was available whether betatrophin is involved in women with PCOS.

Objective: To ascertain whether betatrophin levels are altered in women with PCOS.

Setting: Secondary referral center.

Participants: A total of 164 women with PCOS and 164 age- and BMI- matched female controls without PCOS were recruited for this cross-sectional study.

Main outcome measures: Circulating betatrophin levels were measured using ELISA; metabolic and hormonal parameters were also determined.

Results: Circulating betatrophin levels were significantly elevated in women with PCOS compared with controls (367.09±55.78 vs 295.65±48.97 pg/ml, P<0.001). Betatrophin levels were positively correlated with insulin resistance marker HOMA-IR, free-testosterone, hs-CRP, atherogenic lipid profiles and BMI in PCOS. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the odds of subjects in the highest quartile (OR=2.51, 95% CI=1.31–4.81, P=0.006) of betatrophin having PCOS were significantly increased compared with subjects the lowest quartile betatrophin. Multivariate regression analyses showed that HOMA-IR, hs-CRP and free-testosterone were independent factors influencing serum betatrophin levels.

Conclusion: Betatrophin levels were increased in women with PCOS and were associated with insulin resistance, hs-CRP and free-testosterone in these patients. Elevated betatrophin levels were found to increase the odds of having PCOS. The physiologic and pathologic significance of our findings remain to be further elucidated.

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