There are structures inside of the ovaries, called the follicles, which hold all of the eggs. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome have follicles that have not developed. As a result, the eggs cannot mature, enter the fallopian tubes and travel to the uterus. The underdeveloped follicles also form cysts. This syndrome causes several symptoms and can lead to a type of fatty liver disease.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Polycystic ovary syndrome, also called Stein-Leventhal syndrome, affects approximately 5 to 10 percent of women. Women with this disorder have large ovaries which have many cysts. They have menstrual and fertility problems; an estimated 5 to 10 percent have a lot of hair on their face and body, while 30 to 75 percent are obese. Lab tests usually show an increase in the androgen male hormone and abnormal lipid levels.
Fatty Liver Disease
The term fatty liver disease includes the fatty liver caused by excessive alcohol consumption and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which is not a result of alcohol abuse. Polycystic ovary syndrome can cause nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, the cells of the liver accumulate fat because there is a large number of free fatty acids circulating throughout the bloodstream or because there are not enough proteins to carry the free fatty acids.
Polycystic Ovaries and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Cristian Cerda wrote an article in the September 2007 issue of the "Journal of Hepatology" about a research study that evaluated the association between polycystic ovary syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The study involved 41 women with polycystic ovaries at an average age of 25 years old. About 41.5 percent of the women also had nonalcoholic fatty liver disease as compared to 19 percent of the 31 women in the control group who did not have polycystic ovaries. The researchers concluded that women with polycystic ovaries should be screened for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and should be encouraged to lose weight and exercise.
Literature Search
In the April 2011 issue of "Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics," A. Baranova wrote about a systematic search through medical articles to determine what had been written about polycystic ovaries, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and the metabolic syndrome. The literature search showed that it is common for people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and polycystic ovary syndrome to be obese; that obesity causes nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; and that women with polycystic ovaries do have an increased risk for developing this liver disease. A person with the metabolic syndrome has a high blood glucose level, high blood pressure and abnormal lipid levels, and it is common in people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and in women with polycystic ovaries.
References
- "Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics"; Systematic review; A. Baranova, et al.; 2011
- "Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Obstetrics & Gynecology"; Alan DeCherney, M.D. et al.; 2007
- "Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2011"; Stephen McPhee, M.D., Maxine Papadakis, M.D.; 2011
- "Journal of Hepatology"; Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in women; Cristian Cerda et al.; 2007
