C-reactive protein and lipid profile in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome treated by metformin

Objective: to evaluate the effect of metformin on serum hs-crp levels and lipid profile in patients with pcos in mosul city in iraq. methodology: this is a case control study conducted at the fertility and sterility clinic in the medical center that belongs to mosul medical college / iraq, from the 1^st of november 2009 to the 15^th may 2010. a group of 43 women with pcos of reproductive age who used metformin for more than three months (metformin users), with another age- and body mass index (bmi)-matched group of 53 women with pcos who did not use metformin (metformin non-users), were included in this study. from each patient, a 10 ml fasting venous blood sample was taken. the serum was used to measure the biochemical parameters using commercially available kits, whereas serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (ldl-c) was calculated using friedewald equation. atherogenic index (ai) was recognized by simple equation and bmi was calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the squared height in meters. results: this study revealed a significant lower level of hs-crp (p = 0.04) in metformin users as compared with metformin non-users. there were a significant lower levels of total cholesterol (tc) (p = 0.003), ldl-c (p < 0.001), ai (p < 0.001) and significantly higher levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (hdl-c)(p = 0.026) in metformin users when compared with metformin non-users, but a non significant reduction in triglycerides (tg) level between the two groups of patients. conclusion: metformin therapy for more than three months seems to have beneficial and a favorable effects on both lipid profile and hs-crp serum level respectively in patients with pcos.