Correlation of blood lipid levels with the severity of polycystic ovary syndrome and its predictive value for pregnancy outcome.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the correlation between lipid levels and the severity of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and its predictive value for pregnancy outcome.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 275 PCOS patients treated with ovulation induction therapy and 234 healthy controls (used only for baseline comparisons). Lipid levels were correlated with disease phenotype and sex hormones using Spearman/Pearson coefficients. Binary logistic regression and ROC curves assessed the predictive value of lipid levels for pregnancy failure.

RESULTS

There were statistically significant differences between the two groups in glycemic indexes (fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting insulin (FINS), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)) and sex hormone indexes (testosterone (T), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH)). The levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and apolipoprotein B (Apo B) were significantly elevated in patients with PCOS and were closely correlated with the severity of the disease. In addition, these four lipid parameters were significantly positively correlated with T, LH, FSH, and AMH, and significantly negatively correlated with E2. Elevated levels of T, LH, TG, LDL-C, and Apo B were independent risk factors for pregnancy failure after ovulation induction treatment. TG assisted in predicting pregnancy failure after ovulation induction therapy in PCOS patients with an AUC of 0.861 (sensitivity 75.61%, specificity 85.53%); LDL-C assisted in predicting pregnancy failure after ovulation induction therapy in PCOS patients with an AUC of 0.868 (sensitivity 75.61%, specificity 83.55%); and Apo B assisted in predicting pregnancy failure after ovulation induction therapy in PCOS patients with an AUC of 0.836 (sensitivity 74.80%, specificity 86.84%).

CONCLUSION

Lipid levels were significantly correlated with the severity of disease in PCOS patients, and TG, LDL-C, and Apo B levels assisted in predicting the occurrence of pregnancy failure after ovulation induction therapy.