Genotype-independent association between vitamin D deficiency and polycystic ovarian syndrome in Lahore, Pakistan.

Both vitamin D deficiency and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gene encoding the vitamin D receptor (VDR) have been widely reported to associate with susceptibility to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). A case-control study was conducted to study the influence of vitamin D status and genotpye for 24 SNPs in four genes in the vitamin D pathway (VDR, DBP, CYP27B1, CYP24A1) on PCOS. Statistical analyses were conducted to identify phenotypic and genotypic factors associated with risk of PCOS and to test for interactions between genotype and vitamin D status. PCOS was independently associated with lower age, higher body mass index, lower waist-hip ratio, vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration