부산대학교 도서관

Background and Objective: Hyperhomocysteinemia is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Although metformin therapy can increase homocysteine (Hcy) levels, it frequently is used as anoralmedicine inwomenwith polycysticovary syndrome (PCOS), whomight be at risk of catching diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect ofmetforminonthe levels of serumHcy, vitaminB12 (vitB12), and folic acid in patients with PCOS. Materials andMethods: An interventional study was designed with 18 patients with PCOS at the Fatemehzahra infertility Hospital in Babol, Iran. Met for min treatment (500mgtwice daily)was initiated in all patients for a period of consecutive 6 months. The levels of serumHcy, vit B12, and folic acid weremeasured in the participants before and after metformin treatment. Results: The mean vit B12 level showed a significant decrease in patients after 6 months of metformin treatment (P=0.002). However, there was no significant difference in serum folic acid levels. The mean Hcy levels increased after treatment, but this difference not was statistically significant. When patients were stratified into four subgroups by their insulin sensitivity and body mass index (BMI), relatively similar results were obtained in the subgroups, except thatHcylevels intheoverweight/obesity group (BMI> 25 kg/m²) after treatment showed a significant increase (P=0.01). Conclusion: These findings indicate that metforminincreases the serumHcy concentration inpatientswithPCOSespecially in the women with BMI>25 kg/m². The possible mechanism for this effect would be the obvious reduction in the levels of vit B12. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]