Tehran University Medical Journal

Background: Adipokines are proteins which are secreted from the adipose tissue. These groups of proteins are involved in the control of metabolism. Chemerin is one of these adipokines with different proposed biological roles. Serum levels of chemerin have been associated with increased body mass index, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the association between serum chemerin concentrations and polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Methods: This case-control study was performed in Taleghani Hospital in Tehran, Iran during 2011. On 45 patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome and 45 normal individuals as the control group. The participants were selected by easy given sampling method. Body mass index, fasting chemerin and serum insulin concentrations were measured by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELIZA) method. Fasting serum glucose was measured by the enzyme-calorimetric method and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) was measured by the calculation of relevant equation. Data was analyzed using independent t-test and Pearson's correlation coefficient by SPSS version 18.

Results: Serum chemerin, insulin, and glucose concentrations were significantly higher in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome than the control group. There was no significant correlation between body mass index, serum levels of insulin, glucose, HOMA-IR, or chemerin in cases and controls.

Conclusion: This study showed that serum chemerin levels increase in polycystic ovarian syndrome. The findings also suggest that changes in chemerin serum levels could be considered as a criterion for polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Background: Sexual dysfunction could be under the influence of some underlying medical problems. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between medical problems and sexual function in post-menopausal women.

Methods: This is a community-based, descriptive-correlation study of 405 post-menopausal women residing in Chalus and Nowshahr cities, North of Iran, aged 40 to 65 years old from October 2013 to May 2014. A multistage, randomized sampling was conducted. The data was acquired through interviews using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire and a researcher-made questionnaire, and was analyzed using descriptive and analytical tests such as multiple linear regression and logistic regression models.

Results: 51.4% of the subjects had medical conditions. Cardiovascular disorders were the most common diseases among the subjects. 61% of the women were suffering from female sexual dysfunction (FSD). Sexual dysfunction in patients with medical conditions was significantly higher (P= 0.037). Scores of arousal (P= 0.000), orgasm (P= 0.018), and satisfaction (P= 0.026), as well as the FSFI total score (P= 0.005), were significantly lower in subjects with cardiovascular disorders. Scores of desire (P= 0.001), arousal (P= 0.006), lubrication (P= 0.010), orgasm (P= 0.004), and satisfaction (P= 0.022), as well as the FSFI total score (P= 0.017), were significantly lower in subjects with diabetes. Scores of pain were significantly lower in subjects with musculoskeletal disorders (P= 0.041), they experienced more pain during intercourse. In domains of arousal (P= 0.030), satisfaction (P= 0.040), and pain (P= 0.044), the scores of those taking antihypertensive medications were significantly lower than the scores of the rest of the subjects. Scores of desire (P= 0.001), arousal (P= 0.006), orgasm (P= 0.006), and satisfaction (P= 0.048), as well as the FSFI total score (P= 0.006), were significantly lower in those taking antidiabetic drugs. And lastly, the mean satisfaction score in women whose spouse had medical conditions was significantly lower (P= 0.040).

Conclusion: Cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, and musculoskeletal disorders could have a negative impact on sexual function in post-menopausal women. Thus, these diseases must be considered and treated in order to improve women’s health, particularly their sexual function.