Biomarker Panel for PCOS-Associated Liver Steatosis in Adolescent Girls (COMPASS-pedPCOS) (COMPASSpedPCOS)
COMPASS-PedPCOS: BMI-Independent Mechanistic Dissection of PCOS-Associated MASLD in Adolescent Girls With Obesity Using an Expanded Biomarker Panel - A Single-Center Pre-Pilot Clinical Study
This single-center, prospective, observational, cross-sectional mechanistic pilot study will evaluate whether polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) contributes to hepatic steatosis in adolescent girls independently of adiposity. A total of 150 girls aged 10-18 years will be enrolled into three groups of 50: girls with PCOS and obesity, age- and body mass index-matched girls with obesity but without PCOS, and healthy normal-weight girls. Each participant will undergo a single evaluation comprising anthropometry, clinical and biochemical phenotyping, transient elastography with controlled attenuation parameter and two-dimensional shear wave elastography, and a single venous blood sample.
An extended biomarker panel will be measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Fetuin-A, fibroblast growth factor 21, adiponectin, visfatin, cytokeratin-18 M30 and M65, soluble CD163, growth differentiation factor 15, 11-ketotestosterone, and 11beta-hydroxyandrostenedione), together with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry measurement of testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin, and genotyping of PNPLA3 rs738409 and HSD17B13 rs72613567. The primary objective is to compare hepatic steatosis and the hepatokine/adipokine profile between the PCOS with obesity group and the adiposity-matched obesity control group, adjusting for body mass index z-score, insulin resistance, and free androgen index. No therapeutic intervention is assigned by the study protocol.
Study Overview
Status
Status
Conditions
Conditions
Intervention / Treatment
Intervention / Treatment
Detailed Description
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most common chronic liver condition of childhood and is closely linked to obesity and insulin resistance. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) frequently co-occurs with obesity in adolescent girls, and hyperandrogenism has been proposed as an additional hepatic insult. Because obesity is a powerful confounder, the independent contribution of hyperandrogenism to hepatic steatosis in adolescents remains poorly defined.
This study will be conducted at the Departments of Pediatric, Departments of Pediatric Endocrinology, Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical Biochemistry, Medical Genetics, and Pediatric Radiology of Kayseri City Hospital, Kayseri, Türkiye. Participants will be allocated to three predefined groups. Group 1 comprises girls with PCOS and obesity, diagnosed according to adolescent-adapted Rotterdam criteria requiring both hyperandrogenism and oligo-anovulation, with a body mass index at or above the 95th percentile. Group 2 comprises girls with obesity without features of PCOS, matched to Group 1 for age and body mass index. Group 3 comprises healthy normal-weight girls between the 5th and 84th body mass index percentiles.
The central comparison is Group 1 versus Group 2, which equalises adiposity and therefore isolates the contribution of hyperandrogenism. Hierarchical regression models will additionally adjust for body mass index z-score, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, and free androgen index. Hepatic steatosis will be quantified by the controlled attenuation parameter obtained during vibration-controlled transient elastography; liver stiffness will be assessed by vibration-controlled transient elastography and two-dimensional shear wave elastography.
A single venous blood sample will be obtained at the study visit. Serum will be separated and stored at minus 80 degrees Celsius until batch analysis, and genomic DNA will be isolated for TaqMan single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping of PNPLA3 rs738409 and HSD17B13 rs72613567. All enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits will be procured as a single lot, and intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation together with spike-recovery validation will be documented for each kit.
Data will be recorded in a REDCap electronic case report form in accordance with ALCOA+ principles. The study is exploratory and is designed to generate effect-size and variance estimates for a subsequent validation study. Reporting will follow the STROBE statement, and non-invasive diagnostic performance analyses will follow the STARD 2015 statement. The study is also referred to as COMPASS-PedPCOS in institutional, ethics committee and funding documents.
Study Type
Study Type
Enrollment (Estimated)
Enrollment
Contacts and Locations
Study Contact
Study Contact
- Name: Agah B Öztürk, MD, MD
- Phone Number: +90 352 315 77 00
- Email: dr-agahoz@hotmail.com
Study Locations
-
-
-
Kayseri, Turkey (Türkiye), 38080
- University of Health Sciences, Kayseri City Hospital
-
Contact:
- Agah B ÖZTÜRK, Principal Investigator, Department of Pediatrics, MD
- Phone Number: +90 352 315 77 00
- Email: agahbahadir.ozturk@sbu.edu.tr
-
-
Participation Criteria
Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility Criteria
Ages Eligible for Study
- Child
- Adult
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Sampling Method
Study Population
Description
Inclusion Criteria:
- Female, aged 10 to 18 years, with written informed consent from a parent or legal guardian and written assent from the child.
- Group 1 (PCOS with obesity): both hyperandrogenism and oligo-anovulation required, based on adolescent-adapted Rotterdam criteria; body mass index at or above the 95th percentile.
- Group 2 (Obesity control): body mass index at or above the 95th percentile, without features of PCOS, matched to Group 1 for age and body mass index.
- Group 3 (Healthy control): healthy normal-weight girls (body mass index between the 5th and 84th percentile) without chronic disease, hyperandrogenism, or menstrual irregularity.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Known acute or chronic liver disease (including viral, autoimmune, or Wilson disease) or use of hepatotoxic medication.
- Endocrine disorders or secondary hyperandrogenism, including Cushing syndrome, hypothyroidism, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, androgen-secreting tumour, or hyperprolactinaemia.
- Syndromic or monogenic obesity (including Prader-Willi syndrome, Bardet-Biedl syndrome, Alström syndrome, MC4R or LEP variants) or a known genetic disorder.
- Use of relevant or hepatotoxic medication within the preceding three months, including corticosteroids, metformin, oral contraceptives, valproic acid, or antiandrogens.
- Pregnancy or regular alcohol use.
- Refusal of consent or assent.
Study Plan
How is the study designed?
Design Details
Number of groups / cohorts
Cohorts and Interventions
Group / CohortGroup / Cohort |
Intervention / TreatmentIntervention / Treatment |
|---|---|
|
Group 1 ''PCOS With Obesity''
PCOS With Obesity (n=50) - Girls aged 10-18 years meeting adolescent-adapted Rotterdam criteria (both hyperandrogenism and oligo-anovulation required) with body mass index at or above the 95th percentile.
|
A single fasting venous blood sample is obtained at the study visit.
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay measurement of Fetuin-A, fibroblast growth factor 21, adiponectin, visfatin, cytokeratin-18 M30, cytokeratin-18 M65, soluble CD163, growth differentiation factor 15, 11-ketotestosterone and 11beta-hydroxyandrostenedione is performed.
Total testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin are measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
Routine biochemistry and hormonal profiling are performed from the same sample.
Observational only; no therapeutic agent is administered.
Hepatic steatosis and liver stiffness are assessed non-invasively at the same study visit.
Vibration-controlled transient elastography with controlled attenuation parameter yields attenuation (dB/m) and stiffness (kPa) values; two-dimensional shear wave elastography provides an independent stiffness estimate.
Predefined validity criteria are applied to all acquisitions.
No sedation, contrast agent or ionizing radiation is used; the procedure is observational.
Genomic DNA is isolated from the same single venous blood sample; no additional venipuncture is required.
TaqMan allelic discrimination assays are used for genotyping of PNPLA3 rs738409 and HSD17B13 rs72613567.
Genotype call rate and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium are reported.
Genotyping is performed for research purposes only; results are not used to guide clinical management.
|
|
Group 2 ''Obesity Control''
Obesity Control (n=50) - Girls with body mass index at or above the 95th percentile without features of PCOS, matched to Group 1 for age and body mass index.
|
A single fasting venous blood sample is obtained at the study visit.
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay measurement of Fetuin-A, fibroblast growth factor 21, adiponectin, visfatin, cytokeratin-18 M30, cytokeratin-18 M65, soluble CD163, growth differentiation factor 15, 11-ketotestosterone and 11beta-hydroxyandrostenedione is performed.
Total testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin are measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
Routine biochemistry and hormonal profiling are performed from the same sample.
Observational only; no therapeutic agent is administered.
Hepatic steatosis and liver stiffness are assessed non-invasively at the same study visit.
Vibration-controlled transient elastography with controlled attenuation parameter yields attenuation (dB/m) and stiffness (kPa) values; two-dimensional shear wave elastography provides an independent stiffness estimate.
Predefined validity criteria are applied to all acquisitions.
No sedation, contrast agent or ionizing radiation is used; the procedure is observational.
Genomic DNA is isolated from the same single venous blood sample; no additional venipuncture is required.
TaqMan allelic discrimination assays are used for genotyping of PNPLA3 rs738409 and HSD17B13 rs72613567.
Genotype call rate and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium are reported.
Genotyping is performed for research purposes only; results are not used to guide clinical management.
|
|
Group 3 ''Healthy Control''
Healthy Control (n=50) - Girls aged 10-18 years meeting adolescent, Healthy normal-weight girls (body mass index 5th-84th percentile) without chronic disease, hyperandrogenism, or menstrual irregularity.
|
A single fasting venous blood sample is obtained at the study visit.
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay measurement of Fetuin-A, fibroblast growth factor 21, adiponectin, visfatin, cytokeratin-18 M30, cytokeratin-18 M65, soluble CD163, growth differentiation factor 15, 11-ketotestosterone and 11beta-hydroxyandrostenedione is performed.
Total testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin are measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
Routine biochemistry and hormonal profiling are performed from the same sample.
Observational only; no therapeutic agent is administered.
Hepatic steatosis and liver stiffness are assessed non-invasively at the same study visit.
Vibration-controlled transient elastography with controlled attenuation parameter yields attenuation (dB/m) and stiffness (kPa) values; two-dimensional shear wave elastography provides an independent stiffness estimate.
Predefined validity criteria are applied to all acquisitions.
No sedation, contrast agent or ionizing radiation is used; the procedure is observational.
Genomic DNA is isolated from the same single venous blood sample; no additional venipuncture is required.
TaqMan allelic discrimination assays are used for genotyping of PNPLA3 rs738409 and HSD17B13 rs72613567.
Genotype call rate and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium are reported.
Genotyping is performed for research purposes only; results are not used to guide clinical management.
|
What is the study measuring?
Primary Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
|
Hepatic Steatosis Measured by Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP)
Time Frame: Day 1 (single study visit)
|
Controlled attenuation parameter obtained during vibration-controlled transient elastography, compared between girls with PCOS and obesity and adiposity-matched girls with obesity, and across all three study groups, with adjustment for body mass index z-score, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, and free androgen index.
Unit of measure: dB/m.
|
Day 1 (single study visit)
|
|
Serum Fetuin-A Concentration
Time Frame: Day 1 (single study visit)
|
Serum Fetuin-A measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and compared across the three study groups with adjustment for body mass index z-score, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, and free androgen index.
Unit of measure: µg/mL.
|
Day 1 (single study visit)
|
|
Serum Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF-21) Concentration
Time Frame: Day 1 (single study visit)
|
Serum FGF-21 measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and compared across the three study groups with adjustment for body mass index z-score, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, and free androgen index.
Unit of measure: pg/mL.
|
Day 1 (single study visit)
|
|
Serum Adiponectin Concentration
Time Frame: Day 1 (single study visit)
|
Serum adiponectin measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and compared across the three study groups with adjustment for body mass index z-score, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, and free androgen index.
Unit of measure: µg/mL.
|
Day 1 (single study visit)
|
|
Serum Visfatin Concentration
Time Frame: Day 1 (single study visit)
|
Serum visfatin measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and compared across the three study groups with adjustment for body mass index z-score, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, and free androgen index.
Unit of measure: ng/mL.
|
Day 1 (single study visit)
|
Secondary Outcome Measures
Secondary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
|
Serum Soluble CD163 Concentration
Time Frame: Day 1 (single study visit)
|
Serum soluble CD163, a marker of macrophage activation, measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and compared across the three study groups; evaluated as a candidate mediator of the association between hyperandrogenism and hepatic steatosis.
Unit of measure: ng/mL.
|
Day 1 (single study visit)
|
|
Serum Cytokeratin-18 M30 and M65 Concentrations
Time Frame: Day 1 (single study visit)
|
Serum cytokeratin-18 M30 (apoptotic fragment) and M65 (total cell death) measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and compared across the three study groups to characterise the mode of hepatocyte death.
Unit of measure: U/L for each analyte.
|
Day 1 (single study visit)
|
|
Liver Stiffness Measurement
Time Frame: Day 1 (single study visit)
|
Liver stiffness assessed by vibration-controlled transient elastography and by two-dimensional shear wave elastography, compared across the three study groups.
Unit of measure: kPa.
|
Day 1 (single study visit)
|
|
Discriminatory Performance of the Biomarker Panel for Hepatic Steatosis
Time Frame: Day 1 (single study visit)
|
Receiver operating characteristic analysis of individual biomarkers and of a composite preliminary risk score for the identification of hepatic steatosis.
Measures include area under the receiver operating characteristic curve with 95% confidence intervals, sensitivity, and specificity at the Youden index.
|
Day 1 (single study visit)
|
Other Outcome Measures
Other Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
|
Serum Growth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF-15) Concentration
Time Frame: Day 1 (single study visit)
|
Serum GDF-15, a marker of mitochondrial stress, measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and compared across the three study groups.
Unit of measure: pg/mL.
|
Day 1 (single study visit)
|
|
Serum 11-Oxygenated Androgen Concentrations
Time Frame: Day 1 (single study visit)
|
Serum 11-ketotestosterone and 11beta-hydroxyandrostenedione measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and evaluated for association with hepatic steatosis measures independently of body mass index and insulin resistance.
Unit of measure: ng/dL for each analyte.
|
Day 1 (single study visit)
|
|
PNPLA3 rs738409 and HSD17B13 rs72613567 Genotype Distribution and Gene-Gene Interaction
Time Frame: Day 1 (single study visit)
|
Genotype frequencies of PNPLA3 rs738409 and HSD17B13 rs72613567 determined by TaqMan assay, and evaluation of gene-gene interaction with respect to hepatic steatosis measures.
Measure: genotype counts and interaction estimates; Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium will be assessed.
|
Day 1 (single study visit)
|
Collaborators and Investigators
Sponsor
Sponsor
Collaborators
Collaborators
Investigators
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Agah B ÖZTÜRK, MD, Kayseri City Hospital, Kayseri, Türkiye
Publications and helpful links
General Publications
- Bossuyt PM, Reitsma JB, Bruns DE, Gatsonis CA, Glasziou PP, Irwig L, Lijmer JG, Moher D, Rennie D, de Vet HC, Kressel HY, Rifai N, Golub RM, Altman DG, Hooft L, Korevaar DA, Cohen JF; STARD Group. STARD 2015: an updated list of essential items for reporting diagnostic accuracy studies. BMJ. 2015 Oct 28;351:h5527. doi: 10.1136/bmj.h5527.
- von Elm E, Altman DG, Egger M, Pocock SJ, Gotzsche PC, Vandenbroucke JP; STROBE Initiative. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies. Lancet. 2007 Oct 20;370(9596):1453-7. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61602-X.
- Peduzzi P, Concato J, Kemper E, Holford TR, Feinstein AR. A simulation study of the number of events per variable in logistic regression analysis. J Clin Epidemiol. 1996 Dec;49(12):1373-9. doi: 10.1016/s0895-4356(96)00236-3.
- Abul-Husn NS, Cheng X, Li AH, Xin Y, Schurmann C, Stevis P, Liu Y, Kozlitina J, Stender S, Wood GC, Stepanchick AN, Still MD, McCarthy S, O'Dushlaine C, Packer JS, Balasubramanian S, Gosalia N, Esopi D, Kim SY, Mukherjee S, Lopez AE, Fuller ED, Penn J, Chu X, Luo JZ, Mirshahi UL, Carey DJ, Still CD, Feldman MD, Small A, Damrauer SM, Rader DJ, Zambrowicz B, Olson W, Murphy AJ, Borecki IB, Shuldiner AR, Reid JG, Overton JD, Yancopoulos GD, Hobbs HH, Cohen JC, Gottesman O, Teslovich TM, Baras A, Mirshahi T, Gromada J, Dewey FE. A Protein-Truncating HSD17B13 Variant and Protection from Chronic Liver Disease. N Engl J Med. 2018 Mar 22;378(12):1096-1106. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1712191.
- Romeo S, Kozlitina J, Xing C, Pertsemlidis A, Cox D, Pennacchio LA, Boerwinkle E, Cohen JC, Hobbs HH. Genetic variation in PNPLA3 confers susceptibility to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Nat Genet. 2008 Dec;40(12):1461-5. doi: 10.1038/ng.257. Epub 2008 Sep 25.
- Rinella ME, Lazarus JV, Ratziu V, Francque SM, Sanyal AJ, Kanwal F, Romero D, Abdelmalek MF, Anstee QM, Arab JP, Arrese M, Bataller R, Beuers U, Boursier J, Bugianesi E, Byrne CD, Castro Narro GE, Chowdhury A, Cortez-Pinto H, Cryer DR, Cusi K, El-Kassas M, Klein S, Eskridge W, Fan J, Gawrieh S, Guy CD, Harrison SA, Kim SU, Koot BG, Korenjak M, Kowdley KV, Lacaille F, Loomba R, Mitchell-Thain R, Morgan TR, Powell EE, Roden M, Romero-Gomez M, Silva M, Singh SP, Sookoian SC, Spearman CW, Tiniakos D, Valenti L, Vos MB, Wong VW, Xanthakos S, Yilmaz Y, Younossi Z, Hobbs A, Villota-Rivas M, Newsome PN; NAFLD Nomenclature consensus group. A multisociety Delphi consensus statement on new fatty liver disease nomenclature. J Hepatol. 2023 Dec;79(6):1542-1556. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2023.06.003. Epub 2023 Jun 24.
- Vos MB, Barve S, Joshi-Barve S, Carew JD, Whitington PF, McClain CJ. Cytokeratin 18, a marker of cell death, is increased in children with suspected nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2008 Oct;47(4):481-5. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0b013e31817e2bfb.
- O'Reilly MW, Kempegowda P, Jenkinson C, Taylor AE, Quanson JL, Storbeck KH, Arlt W. 11-Oxygenated C19 Steroids Are the Predominant Androgens in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2017 Mar 1;102(3):840-848. doi: 10.1210/jc.2016-3285.
- Salva-Pastor N, Chavez-Tapia NC, Uribe M, Nuno-Lambarri N. Understanding the association of polycystic ovary syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2019 Nov;194:105445. doi: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2019.105445. Epub 2019 Aug 2.
- Pena AS, Witchel SF, Boivin J, Burgert TS, Ee C, Hoeger KM, Lujan ME, Mousa A, Oberfield S, Tay CT, Teede H. International evidence-based recommendations for polycystic ovary syndrome in adolescents. BMC Med. 2025 Mar 11;23(1):151. doi: 10.1186/s12916-025-03901-w.
- Teede HJ, Tay CT, Laven JJE, Dokras A, Moran LJ, Piltonen TT, Costello MF, Boivin J, Redman LM, Boyle JA, Norman RJ, Mousa A, Joham AE; International PCOS Network. Recommendations from the 2023 international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome. Eur J Endocrinol. 2023 Aug 2;189(2):G43-G64. doi: 10.1093/ejendo/lvad096.
Study record dates
Study Major Dates
Study Start (Estimated)
Study Start
Primary Completion (Estimated)
Primary Completion
Study Completion (Estimated)
Study Completion
Study Registration Dates
First Submitted
First Submitted
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
First Posted (Actual)
First Posted
Study Record Updates
Last Update Posted (Actual)
Last Update Posted
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
Last Verified
Last Verified
More Information
Terms related to this study
Keywords
Additional Relevant MeSH Terms
- Urogenital Diseases
- Genital Diseases
- Endocrine System Diseases
- Nutrition Disorders
- Neoplasms
- Male Urogenital Diseases
- Female Urogenital Diseases
- Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications
- Metabolic Diseases
- Overnutrition
- Body Weight
- Digestive System Diseases
- Genital Diseases, Female
- Glucose Metabolism Disorders
- Liver Diseases
- Ovarian Diseases
- Adnexal Diseases
- Gonadal Disorders
- Congenital Abnormalities
- Insulin Resistance
- Hyperinsulinism
- Overweight
- Ovarian Cysts
- Cysts
- Disorders of Sex Development
- Urogenital Abnormalities
- Obesity
- 46, XX Disorders of Sex Development
- Adrenogenital Syndrome
- Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities
- Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms
- Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases
- Signs and Symptoms
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Fatty Liver
- Pediatric Obesity
- Hyperandrogenism
Other Study ID Numbers
Other Study ID Numbers
- Etik C.D.No:1010 (Kayseri CH)
- TÜSEB2026-A4-U ProjectNo55983 (Other Identifier: Health Institutes of Türkiye (TÜSEB))
Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)
Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?
IPD Plan Description
IPD Sharing Time Frame
IPD Sharing Access Criteria
IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type
- STUDY_PROTOCOL
- SAP
- ICF
- ANALYTIC_CODE
Drug and device information, study documents
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product
This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.