Association between CD16 monocytes in peripheral blood and clinical features and short-term therapeutic effects of polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between CD16 monocytes in peripheral blood and the clinical features and short-term therapeutic effects of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

METHODS

This prospective cross-sectional study included women diagnosed with PCOS at a University Hospital in Shanghai, China, between June 4 and November 28, 2016. Patients received Diane-35, metformin, or both combined for 3 months. We collected anthropometric measures and used flow cytometry to detect CD16 monocytes.

RESULTS

The final analysis included 70 patients: 18 in the Diane-35 group, 30 in the metformin group, and 22 in the Diane-35 plus metformin group. The control group comprised 60 women without PCOS. The proportion of CD16 monocytes was significantly higher in patients with PCOS than in those with no PCOS (16.05% vs 10.73%; P=0.001). The proportion differed significantly between patients with and those without hyperandrogenism (13.12% vs 17.30%; P=0.002) and showed moderate accuracy in diagnosing hyperandrogenism before treatment. We noted a decrease in monocytes post-treatment in patients given metformin and Diane-35 plus metformin.

CONCLUSIONS

The proportion of CD16 monocytes was most significantly associated with hyperandrogenism before treatment. Our findings suggest that the proportion of CD16 monocytes in peripheral blood might be related to the inflammatory condition of PCOS.