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Effects of Metformin Treatment on Soluble Leptin Receptor Levels in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

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The effects of metformin treatment on soluble leptin receptor (sOB-R) levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) were investigated. This prospective and open-label study was conducted by the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China. Fifty-five women with PCOS and insulin resistance (IR) were treated with metformin for 6 months. According to body mass index (BMI), the patients were divided into two groups: lean PCOS group (BMI <23 kg/m2, n=34) and overweight or obese PCOS group (BMI ≥23 kg/m2, n=21). Before and after treatment, serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone (T), androstenedione (A), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), insulin and sOB-R levels were determined. Thirty-one BMI-matched ovulatory women served as controls. The results showed: (1) The Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), androgen levels and hirsutism scores were higher, and sOB-R levels were lower in PCOS groups than in control group. A subgroup analysis of lean and overweight or obese PCOS patients revealed there was significant difference in sOB-R level between lean PCOS group and overweight or obese PCOS group. There were no significant differences in anthropometric parameters between lean PCOS patients and BMI-matched controls. However, sOB-R level was significantly lower in lean PCOS women than in controls. (2) There was no correlation between sOB-R level and BMI, waist and hip circumference, total testosterone, androstendione, DHEAS, LH or hirsutism scores in PCOS patients, but there was a significant negative correlation between sOB-R and HOMA-IR. (3) After treatment with metformin for 6 months, serum insulin levels decreased, and sOB-R levels increased significantly (P<0.01). It was suggested that considering low sOB-R levels supposedly compensate diminished leptin action, PCOS per se might cause leptin resistance. It is likely that reduction of hyperinsulinemia produced by metformin effectively improves the sOB-R levels in PCOS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China

    Ru-biao Liu, Yi Liu, Li-qun Lv, Wei Xiao & Cheng Gong

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430014, China

    Ru-biao Liu

  3. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China

    Jian-xin Yue

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  1. Ru-biao Liu
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Correspondence to Jian-xin Yue.

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Liu, Rb., Liu, Y., Lv, Lq. et al. Effects of Metformin Treatment on Soluble Leptin Receptor Levels in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. CURR MED SCI 39, 609–614 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-019-2081-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-019-2081-8

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