Glucose metabolism in obese and lean adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract

Data on glucose metabolism in Asian adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are limited. Glucose metabolism assessment using an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in obese and lean Thai adolescents with PCOS, and a comparison between the two groups were done. Thirty-one patients (19 obese, 12 lean) were enrolled. Their median (range) age was 14.9 (11.0-21.0) years. Eighteen patients had abnormal glucose metabolism (13 hyperinsulinemia, 4 impaired glucose tolerance, and 1 diabetes). Compared between obese [median (range) BMI Z-score, 1.6 (1.2-2.6)] and lean [median (range) BMI Z-score, 0.1 (-1.4 to 0.6)] patients, the frequencies of each abnormal OGTT category, areas under the curves of glucose and insulin levels, and insulinogenic index were not different; however, insulin resistance was greater in the obese group. In conclusion, a high proportion of our adolescents with PCOS had abnormal glucose metabolism. Therefore, OGTT should be performed in adolescents with PCOS for the early detection of abnormal glucose metabolism.

Oral glucose tolerance test significantly impacts the prevalence of abnormal glucose tolerance among Indian women with polycystic ovary syndrome: lessons from a large database of two tertiary care centers on the Indian subcontinent

“…Two small studies by Ibanez et al and Silfen et al (52,53) that included 39 nonobese adolescent girls with PCOS failed to demonstrate AGT in any of the subjects. The only study from Asia in 32 Thai (19 obese, 12 lean) adolescents showed that five had AGT (n ¼ 4 IGT and n ¼ 1 DM) (54). These differences may be accounted for by many factors, including, but not limited to, BMI, genetics, family history, dietary practices, and exercise habits prevalent in the community.…”

Metabolic Issues in Adolescence

“…Adolescent girls with PCOS have significantly higher rates of perturbations of glucose metabolism, mainly IGT [89][90][91], and are at increased risk of hypertension [92] and MS [89,93], compared to their healthy counterparts. IR and metabolic perturbations are more prevalent in obese than in non obese girls with PCOS [89,91,92] and increased androgens in obese girls with PCOS have been associated with increased cIMT [28].…”