Metabolic profile in sons of women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine-metabolic disorder with strong familial aggregation. It has been demonstrated that parents and brothers of PCOS women exhibit insulin resistance and related metabolic defects. However, metabolic phenotypes in sons of PCOS women have not been described.


OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to assess the metabolic profiles in sons of women with PCOS during different stages of life: early infancy, childhood, and adulthood.


METHODS
Eighty sons of women with PCOS (PCOS(S)) and 56 sons of control women without hyperandrogenism (C(S)), matched for age, were studied. In early infancy, glucose and insulin were determined in the basal sample. In children and adults, a 2-h oral glucose tolerance test was performed with measurements of glucose and insulin. Adiponectin, leptin, C-reactive protein, SHBG, and serum lipids were determined in the basal sample during the three periods.


RESULTS
During early infancy, PCOS(S) showed higher weight (P = 0.038) and weight sd score (P = 0.031) than C(S). During childhood, weight (P = 0.003), body mass index (BMI) (P < 0.001), BMI sd score (P < 0.001), waist circumference (P = 0.001), total cholesterol (P = 0.007), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P = 0.022) were higher in PCOS(S) compared with C(S), but after adjusting for BMI, these differences were nonsignificant. During adulthood, PCOS(S) exhibited higher weight (P = 0.022), BMI (P = 0.046), and waist circumference (P = 0.028) than C(S). Fasting insulin (P = 0.030), homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (P = 0.034), total cholesterol (P = 0.043), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P = 0.034), and 2-h insulin (P = 0.006) were also significantly higher and insulin sensitivity index composite significantly lower in PCOS(S) than in C(S) (P = 0.003). After adjusting for BMI, only 2-h insulin and insulin sensitivity index composite remained significantly different.


CONCLUSIONS
This study indicates that sons of PCOS women exhibit higher body weight from early infancy. In addition, insulin resistance became evident as the subjects got older, which may place them at risk for the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Recabarren
Sergio E
SE
Laboratory of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine West Division, School of Medicine, Las Palmeras 299, Interior Quinta Normal, Casilla, Correo 33, Santiago, Chile.
Smith
Rosita
R
Rios
Rafael
R
Maliqueo
Manuel
M
Echiburú
Bárbara
B
Codner
Ethel
E
Cassorla
Fernando
F
Rojas
Pedro
P
Sir-Petermann
Teresa
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000235:genetics*
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D002097:C-Reactive Protein