Is serum amylase normal in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome?

Abstract

Background : Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause of infertility in reproductive-age women , it is an important harbinger of metabolic disorders. It has been reported that hyperamylasemia can be used as marker of ovarian cancer patients . The current study was conducted to evaluate amylase activity and to estimate the correlation of this enzyme with insulin and insulin resistance in PCOS patients.
Methods: This study was conducted on forty five patients with PCOS in comparison to twenty five women as control. Fasting blood sample was taken from each subject and analyzed for amylase activity , FSH,LH, Insulin , proteins, and blood sugar , meanwhile insulin resistance was determined by HOMA-IR index.
Results: The results of the study showed a significant increase (p<0.001) in amylase activity , amylase specific activity , BMI, LH, Insulin, and HOMA-IR for patients group in comparison with control group. There was significant correlation between insulin levels and HOMA-IR with specific activities of amylase in PCOS group while there were no significant correlation between insulin levels and HOMA-IR with specific activities of amylase in control group.
Conclusion:The current study suggested that metabolic disorders in PCOS patients includes hyperamylasemia , so high levels of amylase cannot be used as tumor marker for ovarian tumors.