Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine metabolic disorder that affects 5–10% of women of reproductive age. In various studies, it was found to be associated with subclinical hypothyroidism. Serum TSH levels were also reported to be increased in obese individuals. In order to define the impact of obesity on the subclinical hypothyroidism observed in patients with PCOS, we aimed to investigate subclinical hypothyroidism both in lean and overweight or obese PCOS patients.

Methods: The study included 95 lean and 122 overweight or obese women with a diagnosis of PCOS defined in accordance with the Rotterdam criteria. The control group consisted of age and BMI matched healthy individuals and grouped as lean (n: 66) and or obese (n: 65) controls. Women with chronic disease such as overt hypo- or hyperthyroidism, kidney or liver failure, hyperprolactinaemia, late-onset adrenal hyperplasia, and diabetes were excluded from the study. Anthropometric data (BMI and waist circumference) was recorded and hirsutism in accordance with Ferriman–Gallway index was evaluated. Plasma glucose and lipid profile, TSH, free T₃, free T₄, anti-thyroperoxidase antibody, anti-thyroglobulin antibody and insulin levels were measured in all study subjects. FSH, LH, total testosterone, oestradiol and DHEA-S levels were measured in patients with PCOS.

Results: There were no significant differences between all groups with respect to glucose, free T₃, free T₄, anti-thyroperoxidase antibody and anti-thyroglobulin antibody levels. Insulin and TSH levels were significantly increased in both overweight or obese women with PCOS and overweight or obese control with respect to lean groups (pinsulin: 0.001, pTSH: 0.029). But no correlation was observed between TSH levels and other studied parameters.

Conclusion: TSH elevations observed in patients with PCOS may be associated with obesity rather than the effect of PCOS.