The Complex Interaction Between Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Hereditary Angioedema: Case Reports and Review of the Literature.

Importance: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare but severe disease, with high risk of death, and attacks have been associated to high estrogen levels. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common hyperandrogenic condition, which is frequently treated with combined oral contraceptives.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe 2 clinical cases of young women diagnosed as having PCOS who developed HAE attacks after the introduction of combined estrogen-progestin pills to treat PCOS symptoms.

Obesity, but not polycystic ovary syndrome, affects circulating markers of low-grade inflammation in young women without major cardiovascular risk factors.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and obesity on circulating markers of low-grade inflammation-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP)-in young women without major cardiovascular (CV) risk factors (diabetes, dyslipidemia and arterial hypertension).

Design: Twenty-five young women with PCOS and 23 eumenorrheic women without major CV risk factors and matched for body mass index (BMI) were studied. They were subdivided according to BMI and PCOS status and comparisons were made between the PCOS and Control groups, regardless of BMI, and between the Obese and Lean groups, regardless of the presence of PCOS.