The aim of this study was to determine serum and follicular fluid (FF) visfatin levels in age and weight-matched women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and normally ovulating subjects undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation and correlate them with their lipid and lipoprotein levels. We included 80 PCOS women (40 lean and 40 overweight) and 80 age- and weight-matched controls, enrolled in the IVF program. In PCOS women, we determined significantly increased serum and FF visfatin as well as serum levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipoprotein B, lipoprotein(a) and homocysteine, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein A1 were significantly lower compared to controls. Serum visfatin levels positively correlated with total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, lipoprotein(a) and homocysteine levels and negatively with apolipoprotein A1. FF visfatin levels positively correlated with triglycerides and homocysteine and negatively with apolipoprotein A1. Dyslipidemia is common in reproductive age women with PCOS exposing them to risk for cardiovascular diseases. However, the detailed role of visfatin on lipoprotein lipid profile awaits further clarification through future investigation.

Background. The significance of the possible presence of infection on the Pap smear of asymptomatic women based on cytological criteria is practically unknown. Materials and Methods. A total of 1117 asymptomatic nonpregnant women had Pap smear tests and vaginal as well as cervical cultures completed (622 with and 495 without inflammation on the Pap smear). Results. Out of the 622 women with inflammation on Pap test, 251 (40.4%) had negative cultures (normal flora present), while 371 (59.6%) women had positive cultures with different pathogens. In contrast, the group of women without inflammation on Pap test displayed significantly increased percentage of negative cultures (67.1%, P < 0.001) and decreased percentage of positive cultures (32.9%, P < 0.001). Bacterial vaginosis was diagnosed more frequently in both groups and significantly more in the group with inflammation on Pap smear compared to the group without inflammation (P < 0.02). Conclusions. A report of inflammatory changes on the cervical Pap smear cannot be used to reliably predict the presence of a genital tract infection, especially in asymptomatic women. Nevertheless, the isolation of different pathogens in about 60% of the women with inflammation on the Pap smear cannot be overlooked and must be regarded with concern.

This study aimed to investigate serum and follicular fluid (FF) adropin levels in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and normal women undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation and correlate them with the lipid and lipoprotein levels. We included 60 women (30 lean and 30 overweight) with diagnosed PCOS, and 60 age and weight-matched non-PCOS controls (30 lean and 30 overweight), under in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. Serum lipid and lipoprotein levels were assessed by the Abbott Architect c8000 autoanalyzer while adropin levels were determined by enzyme immunoassay. Serum and FF adropin levels were significantly lower in PCOS women compared with controls and FF adropin levels were lower than serum levels. Significantly higher serum levels of total cholesterol, LDL-C, triglycerides, apolipoprotein B, lipoprotein(a) and homocysteine were encountered in PCOS subjects, while HDL-C and apolipoprotein A1 were significantly lower compared with controls. According to univariate and multivariate analysis, serum and FF adropin levels were positively correlated with BMI and HDL-C levels and negatively correlated with LDL-C levels. Women with polycystic ovaries exhibit lipid lipoprotein alterations increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases later in life. Our findings suggest a probable involvement of adropin both in human metabolism and in the pathophysiology of PCOS.

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