Is there a link between polycystic ovary syndrome and non-thyroidal illness syndrome?

J Turk Ger Gynecol Assoc. 2013 Dec 1;14(4):216-20. doi: 10.5152/jtgga.2013.47135. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of non-thyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Material and methods: During a 6-month period, 52 patients with PCOS were recruited for this cross-sectional study. The control group included 68 age-matched female volunteers. Serum free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), anti-thyroperoxidase antibody (anti-TPO Ab), and anti-thyroglobulin antibody (anti-Tg Ab) were measured.

Results: The TSH level in the PCOS patients and controls did not differ significantly (1.9±1.2 μIU/mL vs. 1.8±0.9 μIU/mL, p>0.05). Serum fT3 and fT4 levels in the controls were significantly lower than those in the PCOS patients (fT3: 2.7±0.3 pg/mL vs. 2.9±0.3 pg/mL, p=0.02; fT4: 1.0±0.1 ng/dL vs. 1.1±0.1 ng/dL, p=0.03). The Hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) level in the PCOS patients was significantly higher than in the controls (3.5±4.9 mg/L vs. 1.7±2.7 mg/L, p=0.03). A statistically significant relationship was observed between Hs-CRP and fT4 (r=0.245, p=0.015). However, NTIS was not observed in either group.

Conclusion: Thyroid function abnormalities could be observed in PCOS; however, NTIS was not noted in the present study despite the inflammatory state of the PCOS patients.

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, polikistik over sendromu (PKOS) olan hastalarda tiroid dışı hastalık sendromunun (NTIS) sıklığını tespit etmektir.

Gereç ve yöntemler: PKOS’lu 52 hasta 6 aylık bir dönemde bu kesitsel çalışmaya alındı. Kontrol grubuna yaş uyumlu 68 gönüllü kadın dahil edildi. Serum serbest triyodotironin (sT3), serbest tiroksin (sT4), tiroid uyarıcı hormon (TSH), anti-tiroperoksidaz antikoru (anti-TPO Ab) ve anti-tiroglobulin antikoru (anti-Tg Ab ) ölçüldü.

Bulgular: PKOS hastalarında ve kontrol grubunda TSH düzeyinde (1.9±1.8 vs. 1.2 μIU/mL±0.9 μIU/mL, p>0.05) anlamlı fark yoktu. Kontrol grubunda serum sT3 ve sT4 düzeyleri PKOS hastalarınınkinden anlamlı olarak daha düşüktü (fT3: 2.7±0.3 pg/mL vs. 2.9±0.3 pg/mL, p=0.02; fT4: 1.0±0.1 ng/dL vs. 1.1±0.1 ng/dL, p=0.03). Hs-CRP (yüksek hassas C-reaktif protein) ve sT4 arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı ilişki gözlendi (r=0.245, p=0.015). Ancak NTIS iki grupta da gözlenmedi.

Sonuç: Tiroid fonksiyon bozuklukları PKOS’ta gözlenebilir ancak PKOS hastalarındaki inflamatuar duruma rağmen bu çalışmada NTIS tespit edilmedi.

Keywords: Polycystic ovary syndrome; hormones; inflammation; non-thyroidal illness syndrome.