Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Obesity is an excess accumulation of adipose tissue in the body, characterized by impaired lipid and carbohydrate metabolism with subsequent pathological changes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the functioning of the reproductive system, metabolic and immunological status in women of reproductive age with obesity and overweight.

Methods: We examined 110 women of reproductive age including 60 patients with obesity (group I), 25 overweight patients (group II). The control group consisted of 25 individuals without impaired body weight (group III). Evaluation of the levels of leptin, 25(OH)D, triglycerides, cholesterol, index–HOMA were performed. The concentration of cytokines (IL–6, 8 and TNF– α) was determined in serum by ELISA.

Results: In obese women, menstrual dysfunction, such as amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, abnormal uterine bleeding, was observed in 43.3% vs 28.0% in the group of overweight women. Decrease in reproductive ability, such as subfertility and infertility, were established in 38.3% of women with obesity, vs – 24.0% of patients with overweight . Primary forms of obesity were accompanied by the most significant metabolic and immunological disorders (Table 1): severe 25(OH)D deficiency, dyslipilemia, impaired carbohydrate metabolism, and the pathological functioning of immune system ( increased levels of Il–6, 8, TNF–α) which correlated with hyperleptinemia.

Conclusion: Obtained results show that obesity is a serious medical problem because it is accompanied by significant metabolic and immunological disorders, which indicates the need for their correction in order to normalize the functioning of woman’s reproductive system.