Endocrine disruptors, obesity, and cytokines - how relevant are they to PCOS?

As environmental and genetic components contribute to the PCOS expression, we compared levels of endocrine disruptors, steroid hormones, cytokines, and metabolic parameters in twenty healthy, nine normal-weight PCOS women, and ten obese PCOS women. Steroid hormones, bisphenols (BPA, BPS, BPF, BPAF) and parabens (methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, benzyl-parabens) were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Differences between the groups were assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated for the individual parameters relationship. Significantly higher levels of BPA, anti-Müllerain hormone, lutropine, lutropine/folitropine ratio, testosterone, androstenedione, 7beta-OH-epiandrosterone, and cytokines (IL-6, VEGF, PDGF-bb), were found in normal-weight PCOS women compared to controls. Between normal-weight and obese PCOS women, there were no differences in hormonal, but in metabolic parameters. Obese PCOS women had significantly higher insulin resistance, fatty-liver index, triglycerides, cytokines (IL-2, IL-13, IFN-gamma). In healthy, but not in PCOS, women, there was a positive correlation of BPA with testosterone, SHBG with lutropine, and folitropine, while testosterone negatively correlated with SHBG. In obese women with PCOS, insulin resistance negatively correlated with SHBG and estradiol. No differences were observed in the paraben exposure. Levels of BPA were higher in PCOS women, indicating its role in the etiology. Obesity significantly worsens the symptoms.

Vitamin D supplementation changed relationships, not levels of metabolic-hormonal parameters in autoimmune thyroiditis.

In women with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis and vitamin D deficiency we have found reference levels of relevant metabolic-hormonal parameters except for parathormone and total calcium. Three months supplementation with vitamin D (4300 IU/day, cholekalciferol) did not lead to significant changes of investigated hormonal parameters, while the levels of parathormone and calcium reached normal levels. However, a correlation analysis revealed marked changes in mutual relations. First, an inverse correlation of vitamin D with parathormone, insulin secretion (C peptide, insulin) and its efficiency (HOMA IR) disappeared. Relationships of vitamin D to hepatic insulin resistance (insulin/C peptide), to DHEA (both negative), and to DHEAS/DHEA ratio (positive) were newly found. Second, a positive correlation of CRP with insulin secretion remained, while its relation to insulin efficiency (HOMA IR, insulin/C peptide) was newly observed. Analogical positive correlations appeared also among anti TPO and insulinemia, insulin/C peptide, HOMA IR, and anti Tg to C peptide. A relationship of the CRP with anti TPO became significant (+). Third, out of glucose metabolism parameters only insulin/C peptide and glycemia did not correlate with vitamin D during its deficiency, while after supplementation insulin/C peptide alone correlated positively with both DHEAS and DHEA, and negatively with vitamin D.

Prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome in adult population of selected regions of the Czech Republic. Relation to eating habits and smoking.

Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome is around 25% in Europe but its occurrence grows in both genders with increasing age and weight. Lifestyle factors may contribute to the risk of developing metabolic syndrome. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between metabolic syndrome and eating habits as well as length of sleep and smoking. Participants (519 women and 286 men aged 18-65 years) were chosen by random selection and questioned about their eating habits, sleep length and smoking. This information was combined with anthropometric and clinical parameters of metabolic syndrome. The female group was divided into two subgroups depending on climacteric stage (before and after menopause). Metabolic syndrome prevalence does not differ between regions in neither female (29.9%) nor male (32.5%) group. Body mass index ≥25 was detected in 50.4% of all women and 65.7% of men; 23.5% of all women and 21.7% men had body mass index ≥30. In conclusion, metabolic syndrome prevalence was proved to depend on eating habits and family heredity. Positive correlation between the above mentioned factors demonstrated itself in the total sample but not in individual regions. Metabolic syndrome prevalence in Czech adults is comparable with neighbouring countries. No significant interregional differences in metabolic syndrome prevalence within the Czech Republic were detected. In conclusion, relationship between eating habits and metabolic syndrome was confirmed.

[Prevalence of C-reactive protein levels in adult population in two regions in the czech republic and their relation to body composition]. / Prevalence hladin C-reaktivního proteinu u dospelé populace dvou regionu Ceské republiky a jejich vztah k telesnému slození.

UNLABELLED: Increased concentration of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is the new predictor of myocardial infarction, brain strokes, damage peripheral veins and sudden death. The aim of the study was to give an overview of current prevalence of individual risky concentrations of hsCRP in the adult population in two regions in the Czech Republic and to find a relationship to the indicators of fat tissue quantity. METHODS: test involved a representative sample of 516 adults aged 18 to 65 years (191 men and 322 women), with permanent residence in the Jablonec nad Nisou a Príbram regions. Period of testing: spring of 2004 and 2005. HsCRP was determined using the latex immunoprecipitation method with turbidimetric measurement on Cobas Integra 400 plus analyzer. The risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) was set according to the scale derived by the American Heart Association. Body fat was measured with TANITA BF 410 MA, Omron and a calliper on 4 places on the body. Waist circumference was measured half-way between the anthropometric landmarks of the iliocristale and the lower angle of the ribs. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated using Quetelet formula: weight/height2. Statistical processing was done with Statgraphics Plus, version 7.1, using categorical data analysis with the chi2 statistic and Spearman's correlation analysis. RESULTS: 20.2% of cases with high CVD risk were identified in the whole sample of adults. Levels of hsCRP exceeding 10 mg/l (infectious disease indicator) at the time of the test were found in 3.9% cases (5.6% in the Jablonec region, 2.3% in the Príbram region). There were no significant regional differences for individual CVD risk categories; however, there was statistically significant difference between the two regions in terms of average hsCRP levels (with higher levels in the Jablonec region). Gender had a statistically significant impact on hsCRP levels: high CVD risk was recorded in 14.8% men and in 23.3% women. Levels of CRP indicating inflammatory disease were more frequent in women (4.7%) than in men (2.6%). The frequency of risk levels of hsCRP in adults significantly grows with age. Spearman's correlation analysis showed the closest relationship between hsCRP and body fat weight (r(S) = 0.5124). A statistically important positive CRP levels relationship was shown both in subcutaneous fat and visceral fat. CONCLUSION: One fifth of the adult population in two regions of the Czech Republic have at the present time levels of hsCRP which indicate a high cardiovascular risk. The risk is higher in women than in men and it doubles starting at 50 years of age and over. Positive correlation between hsCRP levels and body fat indicators was conformed both for visceral and subcutaneous fat.

[Changes in iodine supply in adult Czech population after iodine deficit eradication and causes. Random study of adults in two regions in the Czech republic with in between period of 5 years]. / Zmeny v zásobeni jodem Ceské dospelé populace po eradikaci jodového deficitu a jejich príciny. Randomizovaná studie dospelé populace dvou regionu Ceské republiky s odstupem 5 let.

INTRODUCTION: By iodine, similar to many other elements that are important for human body, the daily intake has some limitations. Neither deficiency, nor surplus are required. In the second half of the nineties in the 20th century, iodine deficiency in Czech republic could have been eradicated to a great extent. However, changes in iodine supply in population still have to be monitored, looking for the causes in nutrition. AIM: To monitor the changes in ioduria in adult population and search for causes of these changes in dietary habits. METHODS: In 1999, 2000, 2004 and 2005, urinary iodine was determined in randomly selected population of 1139 adults aged 18 to 65, domiciled in the regions Jablonec nad Nisou or Príbram. The measurement of iodine was based on alcaline ashing of urine specimens preceding Sandell-Koldhoff reaction. The information about possible nutrition sources of iodine (seafood, milk, salt, eggs, mineral water) was found out through questionnaires and controlled interviews. RESULTS: During the respective 5 years, significant increase of the mean level of urinary iodine from 117 +/- 3.09 microg/l to 193 +/- 8.17 microg/l occured. In both regions, significant increased frequency of supernormal values of urinary iodine (over 300 microg/l) occured: from 0% to 13-18%. However, the changes in the region Jablonec nad Nisou were more positive than in the other one: decrease of below-normal urinary iodine concentration (50 to 99 microg/l) from 43% to 22% in the region Jablonec nad Nisou was found, while the number of below-normal urinary iodine concentration in the other region increased from 24% to 33% and the number of adults with optimum iodine concentration has also decreased (from 75% to 53%). Nutrition changes of possible influence on the urinary iodine concentration (seafood, milk, eggs, salt, mineral water with iodine) were observed and significant increase in consumption of eggs, mineral water with iodine and milk was found out. The consumption of mineral water with iodine has increased from 5% to 10% in Jablonec nad Nisou and from 15% to 26% in Príbram. Multi-factor analysis of four major nutrition sources of iodine (consumption of milk, seafood, eggs and salt) has proven the biggest influence of regular egg and milk consumption on urinary iodine concentration in adults.