[Correlations between adipocytokines and insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome].

Objective: To investigate the correlations between adipocytokines and insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Methods: Sixty women with polycystic ovary syndrome aged 19-34 years old were divided into 2 groups: group A [n = 36, BMI > or = 25 kg/m(-2) or WHR (waist height ratio) > 0.85] and group B (n = 24, BMI < 25 kg/m(-2) and WHR < or = 0.85). Twenty-six healthy infertile women with a mean age of 26 + or - 8 years old served as controls and they were named as group C (n = 26, BMI < 25 kg/m(-2) and WHR < or = 0.85). Anthropometric measurements, hormonal profiles and metabolic profiles were compared between three groups. Plasma leptin, CRP and free fatty acid were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Adiponectin, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were measured by radioimmunoassay. Insulin resistance was estimated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA).

Results: (1) Adiponectin and TNF-alpha levels were significantly higher in group B (17 + or - 9) mg/L and (1.0 + or - 0.3) mg/L respectively than in group A (10 + or - 7) mg/L and (0.8 + or - 0.2) mg/L respectively. Leptin was lower in group B (24 + or - 13) microg/L and group C than in group A (42 + or - 21) microg/L (all P < 0.01). IL-6 was higher in group A (173 + or - 184) ng/L and group B (184 + or - 44) ng/L than in group C (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01 respectively). No significant difference of circulating level of CRP was found between these 3 groups. (2) Leptin was positively correlated with BMI, WHR and HOMA-IR (all P < 0.01) whereas adiponectin was negatively correlated with BMI, WHR and HOMA-IR (P < 0.01; P < 0.01, P < 0.05 respectively). Multivariate regression showed that adiponectin was the most significant predictor of HOMA-IR and it explained 16.5% of variance.

Conclusion: The higher levels of leptin and TNF-alpha, the lower level of adiponectin in obese PCOS and the higher level of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in non-obese PCOS suggested different adipocytokines play different roles of insulin resistance in PCOS.