The role of oxidative stress on subclinical atherosclerosis in premature ovarian insufficiency and relationship with carotid intima-media thickness

Abstract

<b>Objective:</b> We aimed to investigate the relationship between oxidative stress (OS) and subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), by analyzing the dynamic thiol/disulfide homeostasis (TDH) parameters as an OS marker and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT).<b>Materials and methods</b>: A total of 69 women, 34 with POI and 35 healthy controls were included in this prospective cross-sectional study. TDH parameters (plasma native thiol, total thiol, disulfide, disulfide/native thiol, native thiol/total thiol, and disulfide/total thiol ratios) and CIMT were measured and compared between the two groups.<b>Results:</b> In primary ovarian insufficiency group, native thiol (<i>p</i>=.009) and total thiol (<i>p</i>=.010) levels were significantly decreased, and CIMT values were significantly increased (<i>p</i>= <.001). CIMT values were negatively correlated with native thiol (<i>r</i>=-0.553, <i>p</i>=.001) and total thiol levels (<i>r</i>=-0.565, <i>p</i>=.001); and positively correlated with age (<i>r</i> = 0.457, <i>p</i>=.007), BMI (<i>r</i> = 0.408, <i>p</i>=.017), and total cholesterol (<i>r</i> = 0.605, <i>p</i><.001) in POI group.<b>Conclusions:</b> Decreased native thiol and total thiol levels demonstrate the defective anti-oxidant mechanism in POI. Negative correlation between native thiol, total thiol levels, and CIMT means the presence of abnormal anti-oxidant mechanisms may play a role in the development of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with POI. This is a novel report on the mechanism of subclinical atherosclerosis in women with POI, which needs to be supported with further studies evaluating the pathophysiology of OS.