Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: There is no universal consensus as to the criteria of PCOS (i.e. Rotterdam ESHRE/ASRM versus Androgen Excess Society (AES) criteria). Furthermore, androgen measurements within the female range are fraught with several methodological problems. As GnRH stimulation can reveal a relative LH excess, caused by an increased frequency of hypothalamic GnRH pulses, then we have endeavoured to assess gonadotrophin response to GnRH in women with PCOS and healthy controls...

Diagnosis of PCOS may be sometimes difficult, e.g. due to limited sensitivity of androgen assays and discrepancies in interpretation of ovarian ultrasound imaging. As GnRH stimulation test can reveal a relative LH excess, then we have endeavoured to assess whether this test might be useful in the diagnosis of PCOS.Patients and methods: The study involved 154 subjects: PCOS group, n=120, age (mean±S.D.) 24.8±5.4 years, BMI ...

Background: Gestational diabetes (GDM) is characterized by insulin resistance and a pro-inflammatory state, both factors possible related to adipokine expression. In our study we have endeavoured to assess serum levels of insulin-sensitising omentin and pro-inflammatory thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) in GDM.Subjects and methods: The study included 20 women with GDM, diagnosed according to the WHO criteria, age 29.7±5.5 (mean±S.D.), BMI...

Background: Secretory products from adipocytes may contribute to increased insulin resistance (IR). Retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP-4) may increase IR in mice, with elevated levels in insulin resistant mice and humans with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Mechanisms regulating RBP-4 synthesis remain not fully understood. It is not clear whether short-term hyperglycaemia alters RBP-4 levels in humans. In order to investigate this, we measured serum RBP-4 concentrations during 75 gra...

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the commonest endocrinopathy of women in the reproductive age is often accompanied by insulin resistance (IR). The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of IR in women diagnosed with PCOS, where IR was assessed by methods most commonly used in clinical practice, i.e. homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) and insulin resistance index (IRI), also known as the Belfiore index.Patients and methods: The study...