Correlation of Erythrocyte Trans Fatty Acids with Ovulatory Disorder Infertility in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Trans fatty acids are considered to be the important modifiable factor of the ovulatory infertility disorder. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that higher trans fatty acids of erythrocytes (RBC) are associated with the risk of ovulatory infertility disorder in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).Thirty five infertile women with polycystic ovarian syndrome, defined by AES criteria and 29 age-matched healthy women as a control group were recruited for the study. After physical measurements and nutritional assessment, blood samples were collected. Fasting serum glucose and insulin were measured, and then insulin resistance was calculated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR). Erythrocyte fatty acids were measured by gas chromatography.The patients group had higher waist circumference (WC), insulin levels, HOMA-IR than controls (p 0.05). Also, case group had lower percentage of normal BMI (BMI25), physical activity and education levels than healthy women (p 0.05). Among RBC trans fatty acids only trans linoleate (18:2t) were significantly higher in case group than control women (p= 0.019). PCOS group tended to consume more food rich in TFAs than the control group. Logistic regression analysis also showed that only 18:2t is positively associated with risk of ovulatory disorder infertility in PCOS (OR= 1.225, 95% CI. 1.024-1.465; P= 0.026), which was not affected after adjustment for BMI, physical activity and education levels.The results suggested that RBC trans fatty acids might be a predictor of increased risk for ovulatory infertility disorder in women with PCOS