Endocrine Abstracts

Background: The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is often seen in reproductive age women. Although the ratio of insulin resistance is not knowm definitely in PCOS patients it is thought to be between 50 to 65%. Several studies have shown that low serum 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D (25(OH) D) levels are associated with high body mass index (BMI), insulin resistance, and waist/hip circumference, but it has not yet been clearly determined. In this study, we aimed to determine the correlation between serum 25(OH) D status and metabolic or clinical profiles of the PCOS and non-PCOS groups.

Methods: A total of 40 premenopausal female patients with (mean(SD) age: 26.77 (7.54 years) who were diagnosed with PCOS based on clinical and biochemical evaluation in accordance with revised Rotterdam criteria upon their admission to our clinic with the complaints of excessive hair growth and menstrual irregularity and age matched healthy volunteers (mean(SD) age: 28.10 (4.48) years) were included in this study. Polycystic ovarian morphology was confirmed via in USG in patients. Hirsutism was evaluated using Ferriman–Gallwey score and menstrual disturbance (none, oligomenorrhea, amenorrhea) was evaluated based on medical history in all subjects. Following the physical examination and anthropometric measurements of the patients and healthy subjects, their hormone profiles, glycemic parameters, insulin resistance and 25(OH) D were evaluated. Insulin resistance was evaluated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR).

Results: PCOS patients are found to be obeser than our control group (P<0.01). Plasma glucose levels were significantly higher in women with PCOS than in control group. It is found that homeostatic model assesment (HOMA-IR) which is an indication of insulin resistance is statistically significantly higher in PCOS patients (P<0.01). In the hormonal evaluation of the subjects the level of dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphat (DHEA-S) and androstenedione were statistically significant higher in PCOS patients. Vitamin D levels were found to be lower in PCOS patients. When PCOS patients were evaluated as obese and non-obese, vitamin D levels were found to be lower in the obese group (P<0.01).

Conclusion: In this study we demonstrate lower levels of vitamin D in PCOS patients. In our study, the detection of lower vitamin D levels in PCOS patients suggested that this may be one of the causes of insulin resistance and metabolic complications in these patients.