Open AccessTo Assess the Association between Glucose Metabolism and Ectopic Lipid Content in Different Clinical Classifications of PCOS
Author(s) -
Christian Göbl,
Johannes Ott,
Latife Bozkurt,
Michael Feichtinger,
Victoria Rehmann,
Anna Cserjan,
Maike Heinisch,
Helmut Steinbrecher,
Ivica Just-Kukurová,
Radka Tušková,
Michael Leutner,
E Vytiska-Binstorfer,
Christine Kurz,
Andrea Weghofer,
Andrea Tura,
Christian Egarter,
Alexandra KautzkyWiller
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0160571
Subject(s) - endocrinology , medicine , hyperinsulinemia , hyperandrogenism , polycystic ovary , dyslipidemia , insulin resistance , lipid metabolism , insulin , carbohydrate metabolism , metabolic syndrome , steatosis , free androgen index , biology , diabetes mellitus
Aims There are emerging data indicating an association between PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) and metabolic derangements with potential impact on its clinical presentation. This study aims to evaluate the pathophysiological processes beyond PCOS with particular focus on carbohydrate metabolism, ectopic lipids and their possible interaction. Differences between the two established classifications of the disease should be additionally evaluated. Methods A metabolic characterization was performed in 53 untreated PCOS patients as well as 20 controls including an extended oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT, to assess insulin sensitivity, secretion and ß-cell function) in addition to a detailed examination of ectopic lipid content in muscle and liver by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Results Women with PCOS classified by the original NIH 1990 definition showed a more adverse metabolic risk profile compared to women characterized by the additional Rotterdam 2003 phenotypes. Subtle metabolic derangements were observed in both subgroups, including altered shapes of OGTT curves, impaired insulin action and hyperinsulinemia due to increased secretion and attenuated hepatic extraction. No differences were observed for ectopic lipids between the groups. However, particularly hepatocellular lipid content was significantly related to clinical parameters of PCOS like whole body insulin sensitivity, dyslipidemia and free androgen index. Conclusions Subtle alterations in carbohydrate metabolism are present in both PCOS classifications, but more profound in subjects meeting the NIH 1990 criteria. Females with PCOS and controls did not differ in ectopic lipids, however, liver fat was tightly related to hyperandrogenism and an adverse metabolic risk profile.