Cigarette Smoking and Cardiovascular Risk in Young Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

BACKGROUND: To verify if in lean polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients, the smok- ing habitude might increase the risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective observational study, eighty-one women were divided into the following three groups: group I with 27 non-smokers, group II with 26 light-smokers (1-10 cigarettes/day), and group III with 28 heavy smokers (>10 cigarettes/ day). They were submitted to fasting blood sampling; blood measurement of nitrites/ni- trates (NO(2)-/ NO(3)), biochemical and hormonal parameters; ovarian ultrasonographic (US) analysis; doppler evaluation of uterine and ophthalmic arteries; brachial artery flow-medi- ated vasodilatation; 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring; and oral glucose toler- ance test (OGTT). RESULTS: Doppler analysis revealed higher uterine and ophthalmic arteries pulsatility in- dex (PI) and ophthalmic artery back pressure in group III compared with group I. The brachial artery diameter and PI, at baseline, was similar among all groups. After the re- active hyperemia, a more intense vasodilatation was observed in group I in comparison with group III. The 24-hour blood pressure demonstrated that, in group III patients, the 24-hour, day- and night-time diastolic blood pressure (DBP), was higher in comparison with non-smokers. The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) was higher in heavy smokers than in non-smokers. The leukocytes and homocysteine (HCY) values were increased in group III. The NO(2)-/ NO(3)- plasma levels were reduced in heavy smokers in compari- son with non-smokers. The insulin, glucose and C-peptide plasma values were higher in group III than in other groups. In heavy smokers, the estimates of insulin sensitivity (ISI) and pancreatic β-cell function (HOMA-B) were higher compared to the other groups. CONCLUSION: Smoking habitude in lean PCOS patients may increase the soft markers of CV risk.