Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age causing symptoms that can lead to depression and reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Associations of depression and HRQoL indices with hormonal and metabolic PCOS features have not been adequately studied.

Methods/design: Thirty-seven premenopausal women (age: 28±6.4 years; BMI: 28.3±7.2 kg/m²) with PCOS according to ESHRE criteria were recruited. HRQoL was assessed using the PCOS Questionnaire (PCOQ6). Degree of depression was assessed by Beck Inventory. Hormonal (testosterone, SHBG, androstenedione, estradiol, LH, FSH) and metabolic (fasting glucose, insulin, lipids) parameters were measured. Trunk fat was determined by bioimpedance (Viscan, Tanita). Data were analyzed using multivariate regression with reduction of dimensionality.

Results: The weight dimension PCOQ6 score significantly correlated to i) insulin resistance parameters: HOMA-IR (R=−0.84, P<0.01); fasting insulin (R=−0.82, P<0.01); SHBG (R=−0.70, P<0.01) and ii) obesity parameters: BMI (R=−0.92, P<0.01); percent of trunk fat (R=−0.95; P<0.01). Additionally, the infertility dimension PCOQ6 score exhibited significant correlations with HOMA-IR (R=−0.86, P<0.01); fasting glucose (R=−0.80, P<0.01); fasting insulin (R=−0.82, P<0.01) and waist-to-hip ratio (R=−0.74; P<0.01). Prevalence of mild depression was 21% and of moderate to severe depression 13%. Beck score significantly correlated with the weight dimension (R=−0.91; P<0.01) and emotion dimension (R=−0.75; P<0.01) PCOQ6 scores, but not with hormonal or metabolic parameters.

Conclusion: These results suggest that PCOS features relating to obesity and insulin resistance are associated with decreased HRQoL in the weight and infertility PCOQ6 domains, but not with depression. Supported by grant IGA MH NS 9839/4.