Frequency of prediabetes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Introduction: In approximately 50-70% of all women with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) may be found lower or higher degree insulin resistance, while insensitivity to insulin cells very likely contributes hyperandrogenaemia which is responsible for the symptoms and signs of PCOS. Insulin resistance, PCOS and prediabetes are linked.

Material And Methods: This research is retrospective-prospective, clinical, comparative and descriptive. The study included 60 women with PCOS, aged 20-40 years, with no acute or chronic diseases, divided into two groups: PCOS women with elevated body weight and PCOS women with normal body weight. The control group is consisted of 30 female subjects without PCOS, aged 20-40 years. The research is conducted at the Clinic for Endocrinology and Diabetes and the department of diagnostic and outpatient clinics at CCU Sarajevo and in BKH Niedernbayern. In all subjects the following will be performed: clinical evaluation, laboratory tests and ovarian echosonography.

Results And Discussion: Subjects with PCOS had significantly higher values of body weight, BMI and waist circumference in relation to a group of healthy subjects. Disturbance of the menstrual cycle was present in 57% of women with PCOS. Disturbance of the menstrual cycle was more common in PCOS patients with elevated body weight in relation to PCOS patients with normal body weight. Progesterone values showed that in the PCOS group, 85% of anovulatory cycle in contrast to the control group, where 7% of anovulatory cycle were recorded. Hirsutism, seborrhea, acne and alopecia were more common in PCOS patients with elevated body weight in relation to PCOS patients with normal body weight. The values of total cholesterol in our study did not differ significantly between the groups with PCOS and control group but we found a statistically significant difference in the group with PCOS between patients with increased and normal weight (p = 0.03). The analysis of HDL cholesterol did not show any statistically significant difference between the group with PCOS and control group as well as in the group with PCOS between patients with increased and normal weight. LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels were statistically significantly different between the group with PCOS and control group (p = 0.03), as well as in the group with PCOS between patients with increased and normal weight (p = 0.02).

Conclusion: The emergence of prediabetes is significantly correlated with insulin resistance as confirms the impact of the insulin resistance degree to the emergence of prediabetes. Knowledge about the existence of high prediabetes prevalence in women with PCOS will help in the decision on mandatory screening, more prompt diagnosis and treatment, which could prevent or delay the onset of the formation of clinically manifested diabetes. Prediabetes can be a reversible process with improved metabolic control and the use of metformin in prediabetes in women with PCOS may prevent or slow down the onset of type 2 diabetes.