Afamin in patients with PCOS

Oxidative stress seems to be present in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Köninger and colleagues evaluated the correlation between PCOS characteristics and afamin serum concentrations. Afamin concentrations were significantly higher in PCOS than in controls. This difference vanished in a model adjusting for age, BMI, free testosterone index (FTI), and sex hormone-binding globulin. In PCOS patients, afamin correlated significantly with homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), fasting glucose, BMI, FTI, and SHBG. The authors conclude that elevated afamin values may indicate a state of oxidative stress and inflammation, offering an indicator of impaired glucose tolerance in PCOS patients.

Read the full article at Köninger et al. (2014) Endocrine Connections 3 120–126. DOI:10.1530/EC-14-0053