Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common female endocrine disorder. Recently in the context of obesity, which often coexists with PCOS, it has been highlighted the role of chronotype as risk factor for obesity-related cardiometabolic complications. Given the importance of chronotype categories in the context of metabolic diseases and being PCOS characterized by metabolic derangements, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of chronotype categories in women with PCOS compared to healthy controls and their role in determining hormonal and metabolic aspects of PCOS.

Design and methods: In this case-control study, we investigated the chronotype categories in 112 women with PCOS and in 112 age and Body Mass Index (BMI) matched healthy women. Anthropometric (weight, height, BMI, and waist circumference), clinical [Ferriman-Gallwey (FG) score], biochemical [fasting plasma glucose (FPG), insulin levels and Homeostasis Model Assessment (HoMA-IR)], inflammatory [C-reactive Protein (CRP)] and hormonal (testosterone levels) parameters were assessed.

Results: Women with PCOS had a lower chronotype score (P<0.001) and thus a higher prevalence of evening chronotype category (P=0.037) than controls. Women with PCOS and evening chronotype had significantly higher levels of FPG, insulin levels and therefore HoMA-IR, CRP, testosterone levels and FG score than women with PCOS with neither and morning chronotype. After adjusting for BMI, chronotype score showed significant negative correlations with CPR, testosterone levels and FG score. Linear regression analysis showed that high testosterone levels were among the factors most associated with a lower chronotype score (P<0.001), followed by BMI (P<0.001) and HoMA-IR (P<0.05).

Conclsions: In summary, the current study reports the first evidence that women with PCOS had a higher prevalence of evening chronotype than women without PCOS. In women with PCOS evening chronotype has been associated with a worse hormonal and metabolic profile. Thus, given the importance of chronotype in women with PCOS emerging in our study, the assessment of chronotype should be included in the clinic evaluation of women with PCOS Moreover, a chronotype-driven lifestyle approach could potentially improve the treatment of women with PCOS thus increasing the number of women with PCOS achieving their therapeutical goals.