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

UNLABELLED

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.