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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Endocrinol.
Sec. Cardiovascular Endocrinology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1374718
This article is part of the Research Topic The Role of Metabolic Syndrome and Disorders in Cardiovascular Disease - Volume II View all 17 articles

Evaluation of carotid artery elasticity and its influencing factors in non-obese PCOS patients using a technique for quantitative vascular elasticity measurement

Provisionally accepted
Yanli Hu Yanli Hu 1,2Bo Chen Bo Chen 3*Yingzheng Pan Yingzheng Pan 1,2*Kewei Xing Kewei Xing 1,2*Zhibo Xiao Zhibo Xiao 3*Bo Sheng Bo Sheng 3*Jia Li Jia Li 3*Hongmei Dong Hongmei Dong 1,2*Furong Lv Furong Lv 3*
  • 1 Women and Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
  • 2 Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, Chongqing, Chongqing, China
  • 3 The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Objectives: To evaluate the intima-media thickness (IMT) and elasticity of the carotid artery in non-obese polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients using a quantitative technique for vascular elasticity measurement and to explore the influencing factors.Methods: Sixty patients diagnosed with non-obese PCOS without metabolic and cardiovascular diseases from January to December 2022 were prospectively selected (case group), and 60 healthy volunteers matched for body mass index were included as the control group. Body weight, height, heart rate, blood pressure, and waist-to-hip ratio were recorded. Fasting blood samples were drawn to measure hormone levels including total testosterone (TT), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting insulin (FINS), lipids, and homocysteine (Hcy). The insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) and free androgen index (FAI) were calculated. Ultrasound elastography was used to measure the IMT and elastic function parameters of the right carotid artery, including vessel diameter, wall displacement, stiffness coefficient, and pulse wave velocity. Differences in various parameters between the two groups were analyzed, and correlations between the carotid stiffness coefficient and other serological indicators were assessed using Spearman correlation analysis.Results: the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) was higher in the case group than in the control group (P<0.05).The hormone level serological indicators TT and FAI were higher in the case group than in the control group, and SHBG was lower (all P<0.05). The metabolism-related serum indicators LDL-C, HDL-C, FPG, TC and TG levels were not statistically different between the two groups (all P>0.05), and serum FINS, HOMA-IR, and Hcy levels were significantly higher in the case group than in the control group (all P<0.05).The carotid artery displacement in the case group was significantly smaller than that in the control group (P<0.05), and carotid IMT, hardness coefficient, and pulse wave propagation velocity were greater in the case group than in the control group (all P<0.05). The carotid elastic stiffness coefficient was positively correlated with WHR, TT, SHBG, FAI, FINS, HOMA-IR and Hcy to varying extents and negatively correlated with SHBG.Conclusion:In non-obese PCOS patients with no metabolic or cardiovascular disease, the carotid stiffness coefficient was increased and correlated with indicators of hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance, and hyperhomocysteinemia.

    Keywords: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Body Mass Index, Carotid artery elasticity, quantitative vascular elasticity, Homocysteine, Insulin Resistance, Hyperandrogenism

    Received: 22 Jan 2024; Accepted: 19 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Hu, Chen, Pan, Xing, Xiao, Sheng, Li, Dong and Lv. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Bo Chen, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
    Yingzheng Pan, Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, Chongqing, 400065, Chongqing, China
    Kewei Xing, Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, Chongqing, 400065, Chongqing, China
    Zhibo Xiao, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
    Bo Sheng, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
    Jia Li, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
    Hongmei Dong, Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, Chongqing, 400065, Chongqing, China
    Furong Lv, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China

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