Endocrine Abstracts

The aim was to assess associations among metabolic abnormalities in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and NAFLD.

Materials and methods: In 184 women with PCOS and 125 healthy premenopausal volunteers sex steroids, lipids, glucose, insulin, aminotranspherases, CRP, free androgen index (FAI), HOMA and E₂:testosterone were calculated. Hepatic steatosis was determined by ultrasound. The analysis of multivariate (logistic regression) due to the presence of NAFLD among both groups (141 with NAFLD and 168 without NAFLD) was preformed. For the analysis introduced: BMI, waist circumference, WHR, testosterone, SHBG, FAI, E₂:testosterone, AST, ALT, LDL-C, HDL-C, TG, CRP, glucose, insulin, HOMA, and PCOS.

Results: 56.7% of PCOS women had NAFLD while women without PCOS had NAFLD in 49.6%. PCOS–NAFLD women had higher BMI, WHR and waist circumference compared to women with PCOS without NAFLD and women without PCOS. PCOS-NAFLD women had lower SHBG, E₂/T ratio and higher FAI compared to other groups. ALT levels were higher in PCOS-NAFLD women than in other groups. PCOS women with and without NAFLD had higher fasting glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR than women without PCOS. PCOS women had higher TG and lower HDL-C than women without PCOS. Logistic regression showed that all of the analyzed factors influence NAFLD but BMI>25 kg/m², E₂/T<80, ALT>19 IU/l, and glucose>85 mg/dl were independent factors.

Conclusions: NAFLD is more common in women with PCOS than in women without PCOS. PCOS affects the development of NAFLD in women, but is not independent factor. Hyperandrogenism in PCOS may increase the risk of NAFLD indirectly by obesity, insulin resistance, and directly by the hepatotoxic effect.