Central-to-peripheral fat ratio, but not peripheral body fat, is related to insulin resistance and androgen markers in polycystic ovary syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Overweight, hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance are cardinal features of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Women with PCOS have excess accumulation of trunkal fat and metabolic complications. Recent findings suggest that peripheral fat may have metabolic protective behaviour. The aim of this study was to investigate body fat distribution in patients with PCOS and associations of peripheral fat with metabolic and hormonal profile.


METHODS
The study included 24 patients with PCOS and a control group of 13 women. Anthropometrical evaluation and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to determine body composition was performed. Plasma metabolic and hormonal profiles were evaluated.


RESULTS
Patients with PCOS have increased proportion of central to peripheral fat ratio (CPFR) when compared to controls (p = 0.008). There was a positive correlation among trunkal fat, insulin, HOMA-IR and triglycerides (all p < 0.05). Regarding to peripheral fat there was no difference between groups, a trend to negative correlation to insulin appeared. Positive correlation between free androgens index and CPFR (p = 0.058) and a negative correlation between SHBG and CPFR (p = 0.016) were appeared.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with PCOS showed an android pattern fat distribution when compared to controls. Peripheral fat contribution and its relations to androgens in this context could not be established. Android pattern of fat distribution showed inverse correlation to SHBG levels, suggesting that SHBG may be related to fat distribution.
Godoy-Matos
Amélio F
AF
Instituto Estadual de Diabetes e Endocrinologia e Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. godoymatos@openlink.com.br
Vaisman
Fernanda
F
Pedrosa
Aline P
AP
Farias
Maria L F
ML
Mendonça
Laura Maria C
LM
Pinheiro
Maria Fernanda M C
MF
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism*; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior / Q000097:blood; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000378:metabolism*
D000728:Androgens; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin