Serum visfatin in relation to insulin resistance and markers of hyperandrogenism in lean and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Irina Kowalska; Marek Straczkowski; Agnieszka Nikolajuk; Agnieszka Adamska; Monika Karczewska-Kupczewska; Elzbieta Otziomek; Slawomir Wolczynski; Maria Gorska

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Endocrine Abstracts (2007) 14 P216

ECE2007 Poster Presentations (1) (659 abstracts)

Serum visfatin in relation to insulin resistance and markers of hyperandrogenism in lean and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Irina Kowalska , Marek Straczkowski , Agnieszka Nikolajuk , Agnieszka Adamska , Monika Karczewska-Kupczewska , Elzbieta Otziomek , Slawomir Wolczynski & Maria Gorska

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Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland; Department of Reproduction and Gynecological Endocrinology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.

Visfatin is a newly discovered protein secreted by adipose tissue, which is suggested to play a role in pathogenesis of insulin resistance. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is heterogeneous disorder, where insulin resistance might be involved in the development of endocrine and metabolic abnormalities. The aim of the present study was to asses the relation between serum visfatin and insulin sensitivity and markers of hyperandrogenism in a lean and obese PCOS patients. The study group consisted of 70 women with PCOS (23 lean and 47 overweight or obese) and 45 healthy, normally menstruating women (25 lean and 20 overweight or obese). Euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp and the measurements of serum visfatin and sex hormones were performed. PCOS group had lower insulin sensitivity (P=0.00004) and higher serum visfatin concentrations (P=0.026) in comparison to controls. The decrease in insulin sensitivity was present both in lean (P=0.0053) and in obese (P=0.017) PCOS subjects, whereas increase in serum visfatin was observed only in lean PCOS (P=0.013). In the whole studied group, serum visfatin was negatively related to insulin sensitivity (r=−0.27, P=0.004). This relationship was also observed in the subgroup of lean (r=−0.30, P=0.038), but not obese women. Additionally, in lean women visfatin was associated with serum testosterone (r=0.47, P=0.002) and free androgen index (r=0.48, P=0.002), independently of other potential confounding factors. Obtained results pointed out that visfatin could play a role in pathogenesis of PCOS in lean women.