Endocrine Abstracts

Background: There is evidence that polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is commonly associated with higher cardiometabolic risk. Aim of the study was to compare various sex streoids in PCOS women with overweight or obesity (BMI >27) and those with lower BMI. Second aim of the study was to determine the relationship of various sexual setroids to cardiovascular risk in PCOS women.

Subjects and methods: Study included 64 Caucasian women with PCOS. Fasting blood samples were collected in an early follicular phase and were analyzed for metabolic parameters and sexual steroid hormones (androgens, estrogens and adrenal androgen precursors).

Results: Women with BMI ≥ 27 had worse metabolic profile and higher serum free testosterone (FT), free androgen index (FAI), estrone (E1) (P=0,014 for FT, P=0.02 for FAI and P=0.01 for E1) and slightly higher dihydrotestosterone (DHT) with borderline significance (P=0.06). There were no significant differences in total testosterone (TT), androstenedione (ASD) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS). E1 positively correlated with BMI (P=0.0067), serum insulin (P=0.0046) as well as HOMA IR (P=0.0125) and negatively correlated with HDL-cholesterol (P=0.009). FAI was in positive correlation with total cholesterol (P=0.0457), TAG (P=0.0001), HOMA IR (P=0.037), serum insulin (P=0.0428) and glycemia (P=0.0001) and negatively correlated with HDL cholesterol (P=0.029). In multiple linear regression model E1 most significantly predicted HOMA IR, whereas FT predicted HDL-cholesterol and BMI.

Conculsion: We conclude that PCOS women with marked overweight or obesity have significantly worse cardiometabolic profile than those with lower BMI. They also have higher FT, FAI, E1 and slightly higher DHT. Among steroid hormones E1 and FT predicted cardiometabolic risk, whereas other sexual steroids were not in relationship to CVD risk.