Role of Oxidative Stress in Obese and Nonobese PCOS Patients

The study involved 45 obese women with PCOS, 45 nonobese women with PCOS, and 49 healthy controls. It found that oxidative stress, indicated by higher malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, was significantly higher in both PCOS groups, especially the obese group, and antioxidant parameters were lower. This increased oxidative stress was linked with hyperinsulinemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, suggesting it may contribute to metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases in PCOS patients. The study also found that insulin resistance, measured by the Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), increased in obese PCOS patients due to higher lipid profile parameters (LDL, triglyceride, and total cholesterol). The study concludes that oxidative stress, along with known features like dyslipidemia, central obesity, and insulin resistance, may contribute to the risk of future cardiovascular diseases in women with PCOS.