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(Hypertension. 2007;50:e7.)
© 2007 American Heart Association, Inc.

Letters to the Editor

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Androgens, Autonomic Nervous System, and Hypertension

Department of Clinical Medicine, University "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy

To the Editor:

We have read with interest the article by MJ Chen et al¹ on the relationship between androgen levels and blood pressure in young women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The authors have observed that characteristic hyperandrogenemia in young women with PCOS is associated with an elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressure independent of age, insulin resistance, obesity, and dyslipidemia.

We propose autonomic nervous system as possible "link" between hyperandrogenemia and hypertension in young women with PCOS. In our opinion, two mechanisms may be involved in this relationship.

Recently, Pereira et al² and Yildirir et al³ have shown that hyperandrogenemia is associated with an impaired cardiac autonomic activity, characterized by a sympathetic hyperactivity.

Corbould et al⁴ have observed in animals that testosterone and/or androgenic metabolites of testosterone induce insulin resistance in adipocytes of women. This may explain the high prevalence of insulin resistance in PCOS. In a prior study,⁵ we have observed that insulin resistance is associated with an impaired heart rate variability.

We conclude that an impaired autonomic nervous system may be a "link" between hyperandrogenemia and blood pressure in PCOS. In these subjects, cardiovascular autonomic activity may be affected directly by androgen levels or by insulin resistance hyperandrogemia-induced.

	Acknowledgments

 
Disclosures

None.

	References

Top References

 
1. Chen M-J, Yang W-S, Yang J-H, Chen C-L, Ho H-N, Yang Y-S. Relationship between androgen levels and blood pressure in young women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Hypertension. 2007; 49: 1442–1447.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

2. Pereira JPP, Chaves EA, Costa-E-Sousa RH, Masuda MO, de Carvalho AC, Nascimento JH. Cardiac autonomic dysfunction in rats chronically treated with anabolic steroid. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2006; 96: 487–494.[CrossRef][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

3. Yildirir A, Aybar F, Kabakci G, Yarali H, Oto A. Heart rate variability in young women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol. 2006; 11: 306–312.[CrossRef][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

4. Corbould A. Chronic testosterone treatment induces selective insulin resistance in subcutaneous adipocytes of women. J Endocrinol. 2007; 192: 585–594.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

5. Perciaccante A, Fiorentini A, Paris A, Serra P, Tubani L. Circadian rhythm of the autonomic nervous system in insulin resistant subjects with normoglycemia, impaired fasting glycemia, impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 diabetes mellitus. BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2006; 6: 19.[CrossRef][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M.-J. Chen, L.-Y. Lin, and Y.-S. Yang Response to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Androgens, Autonomic Nervous System, and Hypertension Hypertension, July 1, 2007; 50(1): e8 - e8. [Full Text] [PDF]

This Article Extract Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 50/1/e7    most recent HYPERTENSIONAHA.107.091710v2 HYPERTENSIONAHA.107.091710v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Perciaccante, A. Articles by Tubani, L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Perciaccante, A. Articles by Tubani, L. Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information High Blood Pressure Related Collections Other hypertension