October - December 2011, Volume 7, Issue 4

Gerogescu Pepene C

Androgen Excess as a Major Determinant of Cardiovascular Risk in Women: Evidence from the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Acta Endo (Buc) 2011, 7 (4): 529-534
doi: 10.4183/aeb.2011.529

Apart from endocrine and reproductive disturbances, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) clusters several cardiovascular risk factors, mainly insulin resistance, obesity and dyslipidemia. In addition, androgen excess\r\nsignificantly contributes to enhanced vascular risk. Several mediators of endothelial dysfunction have been characterized lately in patients with PCOS, emerging as independent\r\npredictors of vascular abnormalities and potentially useful biomarkers of endothelial impairment in PCOS.

Keywords: polycystic ovary syndrome, testosterone, endothelial\r\ndysfunction, adipocytokine, visfatin, osteoprotegerin, insulin

Correspondence: Carmen Georgescu Pepene, ?Iuliu Hatieganu? University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca - Endocrinology, 3 Pasteur str, Cluj-Napoca 400349, Romania, Tel: + 40264891234 Fax: + 40264439258, Email: c_e_georgescu@yahoo.com