Endocrine Abstracts

Obesity and type 2 diabetes are common and complex traits that are closely related and the term ‘diabesity’ is being used for the twin global epidemic of these two disorders. PCOS is another common and complex disorder characterized by androgen excess, oligo-anovulation and polycystic ovaries on ultrasound. PCOS is linked with both obesity and type 2 diabetes. Although obesity and type 2 diabetes are not universally observed in PCOS, many women with PCOS are obese an...

Lifestyle interventions and insulin sensitizers play a fundamental role in the treatment of PCOS, particularly in the presence of obesity. The rationale is represented by the reasoning that the decrease in insulin concentration, as a result of improved insulin resistance, may lead to metabolic alterations and have important effects on hyperandrogenism, and, in particular, on fertility. Insulin sensitizers can be added to lifestyle intervention, when obesity is present, althoug...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder present in 5–10% women of the reproductive period. The endocrine manifestations of PCOS include excess androgen production of ovarian and/or adrenal origin and arrested follicular development leading to chronic oligo- or anovulation. As a consequence, PCOS is associated with increased risk of infertility, and in long term to type 2 diabetes, and possibly cardiovascular disease. The ovary is gene...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrinopathies, affecting 5–10% of premenopausal women. Anovulatory infertility is an important feature of PCOS and the optimal treatment for infertile women with PCOS has not yet been defined. Weight loss is recommended as the first-line therapy in obese women with PCOS desiring pregnancy. It is clear that regular physical activity is an important component of weight loss programs since it is associated with be...