Evidence of subpopulations with different levels of insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is non-uniformly associated with insulin resistance (IR). We examined IR in women with PCOS.


METHODS
Sixty-nine PCOS women were subjected to the insulin suppression test (IST) to determine their steady-state plasma glucose (SSPG) as a direct measure of insulin sensitivity.


RESULTS
SSPG exhibited a multimodal distribution suggesting the existence of subpopulations. The heterogeneous distribution of plasma glucose at 180 min (P = 0.011), with three modes, suggested differences in the plasma glucose level trajectories during the IST. Hence, the population was separated into three groups: (i) (n = 33), subjects with SSPG < or = 152.5 mg/dl, corresponding to the first to fifth deciles; (ii) (n = 29), subjects in the interval 152.5 mg/dl < SSPG < or = 300 mg/dl; (iii) (n = 7), subjects with SSPG > 300 mg/dl, corresponding to the tenth decile. Plasma glucose distributions at 180 min showed differences in their mean values and ranges among groups (P < 0.0001). The trajectories of the groups differed significantly during the IST (P < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
insulin sensitivity in our patients exhibited a discontinuous distribution, implying that PCOS is a heterogeneous disorder possessing subpopulations regarding IR.
Vigil
Pilar
P
Unidad de Reproducción y Desarrollo, Departamento de Ciencias Fisiológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda B O'Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile. pvigil@bio.puc.cl
Contreras
Patricio
P
Alvarado
Jorge L
JL
Godoy
Ana
A
Salgado
Ana M
AM
Cortés
Manuel E
ME
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D017588:Hyperandrogenism / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015282:Octreotide / Q000494:pharmacology; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013997:Time Factors
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D015282:Octreotide