Vitamin D association with coagulation factors in polycystic ovary syndrome is dependent upon body mass index

Excerpt

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with metabolic consequences including obesity and insulin resistance that are related to the excess prevalence of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases in later life [1]. It is reported that PCOS subjects show marked platelet dysfunction [2] and decreased plasma fibrinolytic activity, resulting in a prothrombotic state [3]. In addition, coagulation variables such as thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), D-dimer, Antithrombin and thrombomodulin have been reported to be elevated in PCOS compared to control subjects [4], and the functional coagulation tests including prothrombin time, thrombin time and fibrin degradation products may be predictive of PCOS [5]. This suggests that PCOS women have a propensity to a hypercoagulable state; therefore, to determine whether this was the case in a cohort of PCOS women, and whether there was an association with vitamin D status, this study was undertaken. …