Endocrine Abstracts

Background: The prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in adolescents is reported up to 38.9%. Obesity is a known risk factor associated with PCOS increasing the risk of metabolic syndrome (MS). Up to 25% of adolescents with PCOS may have derangements in glucose metabolism and insulin resistance (IR).

Aim: To evaluate PCOS prevalence in overweight/obese adolescent girls and to assess the association with BMI, MS and IR.

Methods: 49 overweight and obese adolescent girls at least 2 years post menarche were included in the study (mean age 15.75±1.3 years). Mean BMI–SDS was 2.36±0.9.

PCOS was diagnosed according to Rotterdam criteria.

MS was diagnosed according to IDF consensus for MS in children.

Results: PCOS was identified in 36.7% of overweight/obese adolescent girls.

Girls with PCOS had lower BMI–SDS (1.9±0.7 vs 2.62±0.9, P=0.004), waist circumference SDS (0.9±0.6 vs 1.5±0.7, P=0.009) and sum of skinfold thickness (93.4±27 vs 111.9±25 mm, P=0.02) comparing to girls without PCOS.

24.0% of girls without PCOS had polycystic ovary morphology on ultrasound, normal menstrual cycle and normal androgen levels. Polycystic ovaries by ultrasound were found in 83.3% of girls with PCOS.

MS was found in 17.6% of girls with PCOS compared to 30.0% in girls without PCOS (P>0.05).

Insulin resistance HOMA–IR index and fasting glycaemia did not differ in girls with and without PCOS (P=0.08). High density lipoproteins were significantly higher in girls with PCOS (P=0.04).

Conclusions: Every third overweight/obese adolescent girl has PCOS. The prevalence of MS in overweight/obese girls is not increased in the presence of PCOS or polycystic ovary morphology. The degree of IR is similar in overweight/obese adolescent girls with and without PCOS.

PCOS or polycystic ovaries by ultrasound do not increase the MS rate.