Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2014) 35 P948 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.35.P948

ECE2014 Poster Presentations Steroid metabolism and action (12 abstracts)

Changes in serum steroid concentrations in relation to fat distribution and insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome

Jacqueline Ibanichuka 1 , Royce P Vincent 1 , Lea Ghataore 1 , Norman F Taylor 1 , Ann Millward 2 , Jonathan H Pinkney 2 & Elizabeth Stenhouse 2


1King’s College Hospital NHS foundation Trust, London, UK; 2Plymouth University Peninsula Schools Medicine and Denistry. Plymouth, Devon PL6 8DH, Plymouth, UK.


Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) affects 5–10% of women of reproductive age. Hyperandrogenism and hyperinsulinaemia have been attributed to the pathophysiology of PCOS. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of fat distribution and insulin resistance on steroid metabolism in PCOS.

Methods: The study recruited 20 PCOS and 20 matched controls. Fat distribution was assessed by waist circumference, skin fold measurements, and body mass index (BMI). All underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Blood samples were collected at baseline, 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min. Insulin and glucose were measured using Siemens Centaur and Advia-2400 Glucometer. Serum steroids were measured using liquid-chromatography tandem mass-spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Results: Baseline measurements showed higher corticosterone (P=0.04), 17-hydroxypregenelone (17DP) (P=0.03) and cortisol (P=0.03) in PCOS vs control group. Following OGTT, insulin (P=0.05) and 17DP (P=0.06) showed relatively higher responses (area under the curve) in the PCOS vs control group. Fat distribution positively correlated with insulin resistance in PCOS and control groups (P<0.0001). The overweight/obese women in both groups were more insulin resistant (higher insulin and HOMA-IR) (both P<0.001), had higher baseline dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) (P=0.001) with relatively higher cortisol response (P=0.06) after OGTT. Women with high insulinaemia had relatively higher baseline DHEAS (P=0.05) and 17DP response (P=0.06) after OGTT.

Conclusion: Fat distribution and insulin resistance alter the ovarian and adrenal steroid metabolism in both normal and PCOS women. Metabolism of steroids such as 17DP, corticosterone and cortisol can be altered due to either hyperinsulinaemia or fat distribution showing interplay between both factors

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