Evaluation of serum Afamin and oxidative stress biomarkers in polycystic ovarian syndrome overweight women.

Afamin is a human vitamin E-binding glycoprotein that plays an essential role in protection against oxidative damage and disease. This study was conducted at Shahid Doctor Khalid Hospital in the Koya-Erbil Governorate. A total of 120 women, aged 16 to 45 years, were enrolled comprising 90 overweight patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and 30 healthy participants without PCOS.The results showed that body mass index (BMI) was significantly higher in patients with PCOS compared to healthy participants, indicating that women with PCOS tend to be overweight. Severe acne, hirsutism and amenorrhea were markedly more prevalent in the PCOS group. This study clearly demonstrates that serum levels of Afamin, and 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were significantly elevated in overweight patients with PCOS as compared to healthy individuals. In contrast, serum levels of vitamin E and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) were significantly decreased in overweight patients with PCOS than in the control groups. Significant positive correlations were observed between BMI and Afamin, vitamin E and GSH-PX in overweight patients with PCOS, whereas a significant negative correlation was found between BMI with 8-OHdG. The mean levels of serum Total-Cholesterol (T-Chol), Triglyceride (TG), Low density lipoprotein (LDL), Very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and Atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) are significantly increased in overweight patients with PCOS as compared to healthy groups, while the mean level of serum High density lipoprotein (HDL) was significantly decreased in overweight patients with PCOS as compared to healthy groups. Our study indicates a novel association between increased Afamin and 8-OHdG as a biomarker of oxidative stress resulting from the nucleoside or nucleotide pool in high BMI patients with PCOS. Elevated AIP levels and dyslipidemia identified as a useful biomarkers for predicting future cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.