Clinical and biochemical characteristics of polycystic ovary syndrome in Korean women

• Published in: Human reproduction (Oxford) Vol. 23; no. 8; pp. 1924 - 1931
• Main Authors: Chae, Soo Jin, Kim, Jin Ju, Choi, Young Min, Hwang, Kyu Ri, Jee, Byung Chul, Ku, Seung Yup, Suh, Chang Suk, Kim, Seok Hyun, Kim, Jung Gu, Moon, Shin Yong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.08.2008; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Pressure; Body Mass Index; Female; Follicle Stimulating Hormone - blood; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; hyperandrogenism; Hyperandrogenism - etiology; Insulin - blood; Insulin Resistance; Korea - epidemiology; Luteinizing Hormone - blood; Medical sciences; Menstruation Disturbances - etiology; metabolic syndrome; Metabolic Syndrome - epidemiology; PCOS subgroups; polycystic ovary syndrome; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - complications; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - epidemiology; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - physiopathology; Prevalence; Retrospective Studies; Triglycerides - blood; metabolic syndrome; PCOS subgroups; hyperandrogenism; insulin resistance; polycystic ovary syndrome; Endocrinopathy; Human; Characteristic; Metabolic diseases; Cardiovascular disease; Female sterility; Biochemistry; Polycystic ovary; Metabolic syndrome; Female genital diseases; Ovarian diseases; Target tissue resistance; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Cyst; Female; Hyperandrogenism; Insulin resistance; Benign neoplasm
• ISSN: 0268-1161; 1460-2350; 1460-2350
• DOI: 10.1093/humrep/den239

BACKGROUND We investigated the differences in anthropometrical, hormonal and insulin resistance parameters according to the subtype of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in Korean women. METHODS We recruited 166 women with PCOS and retrospectively recruited 277 controls. PCOS was diagnosed by irregular menstruation (IM), polycystic ovary (PCO) and hyperandrogenism (HA). Subjects were divided into four subgroups: the IM/HA/PCO group (n = 87, 52.4%), the IM/PCO group (n = 52, 31.3%), the IM/HA group (n = 23, 13.9%) and the HA/PCO group (n = 4, 2.4%). Clinical and biochemical variables were compared among the PCOS subgroups. RESULTS The IM/HA/PCO and IM/HA groups showed higher body mass index (P < 0.001) and waist-to-hip ratio (P < 0.001) than the IM/PCO group. The IM/HA group had higher triglyceride levels than the other groups (P < 0.001). Higher fasting insulin (P < 0.001) and postprandial 2 h insulin (P < 0.01) were noted in the IM/HA/PCO group and the IM/HA group, compared with the IM/PCO group. Women with PCOS showed lower sex hormone-binding globulin (P < 0.001) and higher systolic blood pressure (BP) (P = 0.004), diastolic BP (P = 0.001), fasting insulin (P < 0.001), postprandial 2 h insulin (P < 0.001), homeostatic model for insulin resistance (P < 0.001) and clinical and biochemical parameters of metabolic syndrome (P < 0.05) compared with subjects without PCOS. CONCLUSIONS Women with PCOS without HA are common in Korea and are less likely to have metabolic dysfunction, insulin resistance and elevated BP. PCOS without HA may be a mild phenotype of PCOS. Therefore, women with PCOS in Korea could have a reduced likelihood of having metabolic syndrome compared with women of other ethnicities.