被撤回的出版物: Evaluation of tumor necrosis factor alpha serum level in obese and lean women with clomiphene citrate-resistant polycystic ovary disease (Retracted article. See vol. 39, 2023)

Objective: The aim of this work was to investigate the level of the serum level of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-) as an inflammatory biomarker in lean and obese women with polycystic ovary disease (PCOD), who are resistant to clomiphene citrate (CCR-PCOD).Patients and design: It is a case-controlled study, where 150 (n=150) PCOD women (study group), who are resistant to clomiphene citrate (CCR-PCOD) had been recruited, in addition to 100 (n=100) women with PCOD, who are not resistant to clomiphene citrate (NCCR-PCOD) as the first control group, and another 100 women (n=100) fertile women with normal reproductive health, as the second control group. All the recruited subjects had been divided into subgroups according to the BMI: One obese group with BMI27 and the second lean group with BMI<27. TNF- had been measured in all women groups recruited, in addition to the other essential, basic and PCOD-relevant biochemical and hormonal tests.Results: TNF- level was found to be higher in all PCOD women, either the study or control PCOD groups, than the fertile control group (49.933.39 versus 35.832.47pg/ml, p<0.001). The level of TNF- has come highest in the obese clomiphene citrate-resistant PCOD women (obese CCR-PCOD), while the lowest has come in the lean PCOD women, who are not resistant to clomiphene citrate (NCCR-PCOD). Free Androgen Index (FAI) and androgenic obesity with higher W/H ratio were clearly going with TNF- pattern and have come higher in all PCOD compared to the fertile control group. Insulin resistance (IR) shows a positive correlation with BMI regardless off PCOD status and androgen level as well. The level of other basic and PCOD-relevant hormones like FSH, TSH and prolactin have never shown statistically significant differences between all the study and control groups, except LH serum level which has shown a nonsignificant higher level in all PCOD women included either resistant to CC or not.Conclusion: TNF- serum level has come significantly higher in all women with PCOD, especially in those resistant to CC. Androgenic obesity with higher W/H ratio has shown a positive correlation with TNF- level, which could consider it a good severity index of PCOD status and an informative predictor of CCR before its use.