title: A pilot study: effects of decreasing serum insulin with diazoxide on vitamin D levels in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We conducted a pilot project to test the hypothesis that decreasing insulin concentrations with diazoxide would affect parameters of vitamin D in obese women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight obese women with PCOS and nine matched controls participated in the study. Diazoxide was administered orally 100 mg three times daily for 10 days, and parameters of vitamin D were measured at baseline and end-of-study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, women with polycystic ovary syndrome had significantly lower serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels than controls. After treatment with diazoxide, there were no significant changes in vitamin D parameters when PCOS and control women were evaluated separately. Diazoxide exhibited differential effects on 25(OH)D concentrations in PCOS as compared with normal women (P for interaction=0.045), and serum 25(OH)D levels converged after diazoxide treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obese women with PCOS had significantly lower serum 25(OH)D levels at baseline than age- and body mass index-matched controls. Short-term administration with diazoxide seemed to have differential effects on 25(OH)D levels in PCOS as compared with control women. Further studies are necessary to confirm this finding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, P.O. Box 980663, Richmond, VA 23298-0663, USA. jnestler@mcvh-vcu.edu
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Nestler
authors.forename: Elizabeth R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Reilly
authors.forename: Kai I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Cheang
authors.forename: Lorin M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bachmann
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Downs
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D015897:Comorbidity; D003981:Diazoxide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006946:Hyperinsulinism / Q000097:blood; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D014807:Vitamin D; D003981:Diazoxide