Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Conditions
Keywords
PCOS
Brief summary
Adipose tissue is a central organ involved in mediating metabolic health, and so the investigation of treatments which improve adipose tissue function is warranted. LC n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) have been shown to exert positive effects on adipose tissue gene expression in previous studies. However this has not been investigated in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a population shown to display a degree of adipose tissue dysfunction. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of LC n-3 PUFA supplementation on gene expression profiles of women with PCOS.
Interventions
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTLC n-3 PUFA (fish oil) Supplement
4 x 1g LC n-3 PUFA (fish oil)supplement containing 1.9g EPA and DHA given daily for 6 weeks
Sponsors
University College Dublin
The Adelaide and Meath Hospital
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 40 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Had a positive diagnosis of PCOS as defined according to the NIH criteria as chronic oligomenorrhoea (\< 9 menstrual cycles per year) and clinical and/or biochemical evidence of hyperandrogenism, in the absence of other disorders causing the same phenotype. Clinical criteria included hirsutism with a Ferriman-Galwey score greater than 9, acne or male pattern alopecia; biochemical criteria included total-testosterone, androstenedione or dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) greater than the laboratory reference range. * Were between the ages of 18 and 40
Exclusion criteria
* Were under 18 years or greater than 40 years old, * Were non-Caucasian * Were pregnant, lactating or trying to conceive * Had a body mass index (BMI) \<18kg/m2 or \>50kg/m2 * Had a recent illness or any chronic illness likely to influence results * Were taking any medications likely to influence the results including hormonal contraception, antihypertensives, lipid lowering medications, antiplatelet agents, anti-inflammatory agents * Were taking nutritional supplements * Consumed greater than 2 portions of oily fish per week
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Gene expression profiling subcutaneous adipose tissue of young women with PCOS following LC n-3 PUFA supplementation versus control | Following 6 weeks of LC n-3 PUFA supplementation versus 6 weeks olive oil placebo supplementation | Gene expression profiles were assessed by mircoarray analysis from samples of subcutaneous adipose tissue obtained from subjects following LC n-3 PUFA and placebo supplementation. Single gene changes and pathway analyses will be conducted to assess potential differences between PCOS and control samples. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment of biomarkers of hormonal and metabolic health in young women with PCOS following LC n-3 PUFA supplementation versus placebo | Following 6 weeks of LC n-3 PUFA supplementation versus 6 weeks olive oil placebo supplementation | Key biomarkers of metabolic health (plasma lipid profile, inflammatory markers and adipokines) and androgenic hormonal profile (testosterone, androstenedione, DHEAS) were assessed by measuring circulating concentrations in plasma. |
Countries
Ireland
Outcome results
None listed