Myeloperoxidase Levels in Patients with PCOS and/or Obesity Before and After Metformin Treatment

Objectives: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is often linked to adverse cardiometabolic profile. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is an enzyme, secreted from white blood cells that generates Radical Oxygen Species (ROS) and is thought to be involved in increased Cardiovascular (CV) risk. The aim of the present study is to compare MPO in premenopausal patients with PCOS with and without obesity (+/- obesity) to other classical cardiovascular risk factors before and after metformin treatment. Materials and Methods: In this study 75 women including 27 obese, 31 lean PCOS and 17 obese PCOS patients participated. Anthropometric measurements and biochemical study including MPO measurement were performed in the beginning of the study. Patients that had insulin resistance were treated with 1500-3000 mg metformin and all the tests were repeated after mean 6.8 months. Results: MPO levels were similar between patients with obesity only and obesity with PCOS and in patients with PCOS only and obese PCOS patients. We found no differences in MPO levels between patients with different PCOS phenotype, with and without visceral obesity or insulin resistance based on variety of criteria, with and without arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, menstrual disturbances and obstructive sleep apnea. There was no significant change in MPO levels after several months of metformin treatment, despite the beneficial changes in insulin concentrations and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Conclusion: MPO levels were similar between patients with obesity +/- PCOS, and in patients with PCOS +/- obesity. MPO did not change significantly after metformin treatment.