Estrogen Sensitivity and Ovulatory Dysfunction in Obesity

Summary

The sole purpose of this study is to evaluate pathophysiology of disease. The disease state that is being evaluated is the obesity-related alterations in reproductive hormones * The obesity epidemic in the United States is advancing at an accelerated pace. It is estimated that by 2015, 41% of U.S. adults will be obese as defined by a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30 kg/m2. The U.S. government's 2010 Dietary Guidelines regard obesity as the single greatest health hazard in this century. Female adult obesity is associated with menstrual cycle irregularities, ovulatory dysfunction and a higher risk of obstetrical complications. This reproductive phenotype of obesity is worsened by further increases in BMI and is not solely due to anovulatory infertility. While the association of adiposity with subfertility is well documented in population studies, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. The main objective of this proposal is to clarify the nature of the obesity-related reproductive endocrine abnormalities and identify potential etiologies amenable to therapy. * Hypothesis: The hypothalamic-pituitary axis is abnormally sensitive to estradiol negative feedback in obesity.

Timeline

Start

2011-06

Primary completion

2013-01

Completion

2013-01

Publications

• Background Jain A, Polotsky AJ, Rochester D, Berga SL, Loucks T, Zeitlian G, Gibbs K, Polotsky HN, Feng S, Isaac B, Santoro N. Pulsatile luteinizing hormone amplitude and progesterone metabolite excretion are reduced in obese women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007 Jul;92(7):2468-73. doi: 10.1210/jc.2006-2274. Epub 2007 Apr 17.
• Background Rochester D, Jain A, Polotsky AJ, Polotsky H, Gibbs K, Isaac B, Zeitlian G, Hickmon C, Feng S, Santoro N. Partial recovery of luteal function after bariatric surgery in obese women. Fertil Steril. 2009 Oct;92(4):1410-1415. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.08.025. Epub 2008 Sep 30.
• Roth LW, Allshouse AA, Lesh J, Polotsky AJ, Santoro N. The correlation between self-reported and measured height, weight, and BMI in reproductive age women. Maturitas. 2013 Oct;76(2):185-8. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2013.07.010. Epub 2013 Aug 16.

Drugs

Indications