Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2011) 26 P114

ECE2011 Poster Presentations Female reproduction (39 abstracts)

Does uric acid predict insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome?

O Oz Gul 1 , C Ersoy 1 , B Gul 2 , S Cander 1 , O K Unal 1 , E Erturk 1 , E Tuncel 1 & S Imamoglu 1


1Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Uludag University Medical School, Bursa, Turkey; 2Department of Nephrology, Uludag University Medical School, Bursa, Turkey.


Introduction: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have an increased prevalence of insulin resistance and related disorders. Endothelial dysfunction and chronic inflammation are early findings in the atherosclerotic process. Elevated serum levels of uric acid may reflect low-grade chronic inflammation. But there are controversial data whether increased the uric acid level in PCOS patients. This study was aimed to examine the relationship between uric acid, lipoprotein levels and insulin resistance in obese and non-obese patients with PCOS.

Methods: Fourty-two young women with PCOS and 42 controls of similar age were included this study. Plasma levels of glucose, insulin and uric acid were measured. Anthropometric variables, hormonal and metabolic profiles were evaluated in both groups. Insulin resistance was evaluated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR).

Results: Plasma uric acid levels and HOMA-IR were significantly higher in women with PCOS than in healthy women. Serum fasting total cholesterol, triglycerides (TG) and hemoglobin A1c levels were similar between PCOS and control groups. Compared with non-obese PCOS subjects, obese PCOS subjects had high HOMA-IR, insulin, TG and uric acid levels. Plasma glucose levels, serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and androgen levels were similar between obese and non-obese women with PCOS. No correlation was observed between plasma uric acid, HOMA-IR and serum androgen levels.

Conclusion: In this study we demonstrate increased levels of uric acid in PCOS. Obesity is the main determinant of serum uric acid concentrations in PCOS patients. Our results suggest that measurement of serum uric acid does not provide new means for identification of insulin resistance and related disorders in patients with PCOS.

Article tools

My recent searches

No recent searches.