Obese adolescent girls with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have more severe insulin resistance measured by HOMA-IR score than obese girls without PCOS.

ABSTRACT

The prevalence of obesity in Thai children is increasing. These individuals are at increased risks of metabolic syndrome that includes insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), dyslipidemia and hypertension. PCOS has been known to be associated with insulin resistance. OBJECTIVES: To compare the insulin sensitivity between obese adolescent girls with PCOS and those without PCOS. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We reviewed demographic and hormonal data of 6 obese adolescent girls with PCOS and compared with 6 age, weight and BMI-matched non-PCOS controls. Each subject underwent an oral glucose tolerance test. RESULTS: Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance score (HOMA-IR score) in obese adolescent girls with PCOS was significantly higher than in girls without PCOS with median and range as follows (16.5 [3.8, 21.8] vs. 4.1 [3.3, 6.9], p = 0.04). Our study demonstrates that obese adolescent girls with PCOS have more severe insulin resistance measured by HOMA-IR score than girls without PCOS independent of the degree of obesity. Since insulin resistance is a metabolic precursor of future cardiovascular diseases, obese adolescent girls with PCOS might be at greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease in later adulthood than their non-PCOS counterparts.