The effect of ethinyl estradiol-cyproterone acetate treatment on homocysteine levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Objective Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have multiple risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The cardiovascular risk marker homocysteine (Hcy) is elevated in women with PCOS. This prospective study investigated the effect of oral contraceptives containing ethinyl estradiol-cyproterone acetate (EE-CA) on serum Hcy levels in women with PCOS. Study design A total of 30 women with PCOS were enrolled in this prospective study. The diagnosis of PCOS was made according to the criteria of the Rotterdam PCOS consensus workshop group. All women took oral contraceptives containing EE/CA (35 mu g/2 mg) for 3 months. Serum samples for Hcy, lipid profile and hormones were obtained during the early follicular phase (days 3-5) of the spontaneous or progestin-induced bleeding at baseline, and after the third treatment cycle. Results Three months of EE-CA therapy significantly decreased the Hcy levels from 55.97 +/- 16.04 to 54.03 +/- 16.15 (P = 0.01). A significant correlation was observed between the Hcy and total and free testosterone levels (r = 0.44, P = 0.015 and r = 0.46, P = 0.001 respectively). Conclusions Although the decrease in Hcy levels with EE-CA therapy was statistically significant, further studies are necessary to determine the clinical benefit of this treatment.