There is no difference in the plasma cortisol level between women with body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal 25 kg/m² and polycystic ovary syndrome and the control group without polycystic ovary syndrome and BMI 25 kg/m².

ABSTRACT

A 4-8% of women of reproductive age suffer from the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The clinical and/ or biochemical hyperandrogenemia is found up to 75% of women with PCOS. It is unclear whether the hyperandogenemia in PCOS is caused directly by this disorder or by obesity. The recent studies have shown that the cortisol level in PCOS patients can be elevated, decreased or comparable to the control group. The aim of our study was to assess the cortisol plasma level in women with body mass index greater than or equal to 25 kg/ m², with and without PCOS. The study population consisted of 17 overweight women with PCOS and 44 overweight women without PCOS. There were not statistically significant differences in the body mass (group 1 88.9 ± 17.0 kg, vs. group 2 84.4 ± 15.2 kg; NS) nor the body mass index between both groups (group 1 31.7 ± 5.9 kg/m², vs. group 2 30.6 ± 5.4 kg/m²; NS). The groups did not differ in TSH, FSH, estradiol, SHBG, prolactin level at the baseline. There was no statistically significant difference between both groups in the cortisol levels at 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. Our study suggests that there is no difference in the morning and 7 p.m. cortisol level between the women with and without PCOS among the population of women with body mass index greater than or equal 25 kg/m².