PURPOSE

Our study was undertaken to evaluate the levels of asymmetric dimethyl-arginine (ADMA) in a group of patients affected with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)--under ethinyl estradiol-cyproterone acetate treatment or not--as compared with a group of healthy controls.

METHODS

Fifty-eight women with PCOS and 45 patients as control group were included in the study. The 58 women with PCOS were separated into two groups: Group A (n = 29) were treated with an oral contraceptive pill containing 0.035 mg of ethinyl estradiol (EE) and 2 mg of cyproterone acetate (CA) (Diane-35) for 6 months. Group B (n = 29) did not take any drug. Group C (n = 45) was healthy women as control group. Serum levels of ADMA, lipid and glucose metabolism parameters, hormone profile were measured on the sixth month of treatment.

RESULTS

ADMA levels were similar in women with PCOS and controls, whereas ADMA levels significantly decreased after a period of 6 months treatment with EE + CA in women with PCOS. ADMA levels and insulin resistance were decreased with treatment. However, patients with PCOS had significantly higher total cholesterol and Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) compared to controls, treatment with EE + CA did not provide any improvement on lipid parameters.

CONCLUSION

Serum ADMA levels and insulin resistance were lower in PCOS group treated with EE + CA than control group.