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Ovarian volume, follicle excess tied to insulin resistance in PCOS
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Polycystic ovarian morphology was associated with insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome, according to findings published in Clinical Endocrinology.
Researchers suggested that increased follicle number may predict insulin resistance in women with PCOS.
Hyejin Lee, MD, of the division of endocrinology and metabolism, department of internal medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine in Korea, and colleagues evaluated 679 women with PCOS and 272 healthy controls to determine the relationship between polycystic ovary morphology and insulin resistance.
Compared with controls, participants in the PCOS group were more likely to have obesity; higher fasting glucose, 2-hour postload glucose, insulin and total testosterone levels; and lower quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) values. Greater ovarian volume and ovarian follicle number were found among the PCOS group compared with controls (P < .01 for all).
Overall, 543 participants with PCOS had polycystic ovarian morphology. Higher total testosterone levels and fewer menstrual periods per year were found among participants with PCOS with polycystic morphology compared with controls and with participants with PCOS without polycystic morphology (P < .01 for all).
After adjustment for age, BMI and total testosterone, multiple regression analysis showed that QUICKI results were associated with ovarian volume (P = .01) and ovarian follicle number (P = .01).
In participants with PCOS, ovarian follicle number was a predictor of insulin resistance (P = .03).
“[Polycystic ovary morphology] was related to insulin resistance with respect to both ovarian volume and follicle number, independent of age, obesity and hyperandrogenemia, in reproductive-aged women with PCOS,” the researchers wrote. “Additionally, the ovarian follicle number was strongly associated with insulin resistance. Notably, [polycystic ovary morphology] on its own had metabolic consequences independent of other PCOS-associated features. We suggest that women with PCOS with higher ovarian follicle numbers need to be carefully evaluated for insulin resistance and screened for metabolic disturbances.” – by Amber Cox
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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