Greek hyperinsulinemic women, with or without polycystic ovary syndrome, display altered inositols metabolism.
BACKGROUND We have shown that American women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have decreased glucose-stimulated release of a putative mediator of insulin action, D-chiro-inositol (DCI)-containing inositolphosphoglycan (DCI-IPG), and increased urinary clearance of DCI (uCl(DCI)), which was associated with hyperinsulinemia.


METHODS
DCI levels and the release of insulin and DCI-IPG during an oral glucose tolerance test (AUCs) were assessed in 27 Greek PCOS and 10 normal Greek women.


RESULTS
PCOS women were heavier than controls (BMI = 28.4 versus 23.7 kg/m(2), P = 0.05) with higher waist-to-hip ratios (WHR = 0.78 versus 0.71, P = 0.009) and increased free testosterone (P = 0.048) and AUC(insulin) (P = 0.04). In PCOS women, incremental AUC(DCI-IPG) was significantly decreased by 59% (2158 versus 5276%.min, P = 0.01), even after correction for BMI and WHR. Finally, increased uCl(DCI) (r = 0.35, P = 0.04) and decreased AUC(DCI-IPG) (r = 0.46, P = 0.004) were significantly associated with hyperinsulinemia in all women together, even after correction for BMI and WHR (Ps = 0.02 and 0.007), and regardless of PCOS status.


CONCLUSIONS
Greek women, with or without PCOS, display increased uCl(DCI) and decreased AUC(DCI-IPG) in association with higher insulin levels but independent of adiposity. Increased clearance of inositols might reduce tissue availability of DCI and decrease the release of DCI-IPG mediator, which could contribute to insulin resistance and compensatory hyperinsulinemia in Greek women, as previously described in American women.
Baillargeon
Jean-Patrice
JP
Department of Medicine, Universite Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada J1H 5N4.
Nestler
John E
JE
Ostlund
Richard E
RE
Apridonidze
Teimuraz
T
Diamanti-Kandarakis
Evanthia
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D006946:Hyperinsulinism / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D007294:Inositol / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*
D007328:Insulin; D007294:Inositol