Nitric oxide (NO) levels in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE: The pathogenesis of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) remains unclear, but is known to be related to increased insulin resistance, diabetes, obesity, oxidative stress, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease. No meta-analyses have examined whether PCOS is associated with nitric oxide (NO). Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the association between serum/plasma nitrite levels and PCOS. METHODS: We performed a meta-analysis. To identify eligible original articles, we searched online computerized databases, including EMBASE, Medline, and Web of Science. The characteristics of each single study, as well as the standard mean difference (SMD) with corresponding confidence intervals (CIs), were calculated and subgroup analysis was performed to examine heterogeneity. RESULTS: We included 12 articles with 16 studies and a total of 895 patients were included in the meta-analysis. We found a significant association between PCOS and serum or plasma nitrite levels, with a pooled SMD of −0.61 (95% CI: −1.05 to −0.16). The final pooled data were determined by the random effects model because significant high heterogeneity (I(2) = 89%) was found. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis shows that decreased serum or plasma nitrite levels are associated with PCOS. The pathogenesis of PCOS may be due to endothelial dysfunction; however, further research to confirm this possibility is required.