Low prevalence of the metabolic syndrome but high occurrence of various metabolic disorders in Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract

Objective: Variations in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in different races were reported. We sought to report this prevalence and its components in Chinese women with PCOS and compared these characteristics with healthy controls. Design: Anthropometric measurements and biochemical parameters were evaluated in 578 PCOS patients diagnosed by the Rotterdam criteria and 281 age-and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls. International Diabetes Federation criteria for MetS were used. Results: The prevalence of MetS was 16.8% in this study, and 60.7% of patients displayed at least one component of MetS. Among the patients, the rates of dyslipidemia, impaired fasting glucose, and elevated blood pressure were 41.6, 19.8, and 16.1% respectively; the rates of these corresponding components in age-and BMI-matched controls were 14.6, 5.3, and 5.7% respectively. In PCOS patients, the prevalence of MetS was 0.0, 3.9, 20.2, and 51.1% for four different BMI groups respectively; the prevalence of MetS was 7.3, 14.9, 24.2, and 42.4% in the four age groups respectively. Nearly 90% of patients diagnosed with MetS belonged to overweight and obese groups. BMI and age rather than free testosterone, free androgen index, fasting insulin, or sex hormone-binding globulin were included in formulation for predicting MetS according to multivariable logistic regression. Conclusions: Low prevalence of MetS but high occurrence of various metabolic disorders was found in women with PCOS compared with age-and BMI-matched controls in this study. BMI and age appeared to contribute more to developing MetS than other parameters associated with insulin resistance or hyperandrogenism.

Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in women with a previous diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome: long-term follow-up

“…In addition, isolated features of the MetS, such as increased WC, triglycerides, and increased use of antidiabetic agents were more common in women with PCOS. These findings are in line with studies from central Europe and China (12,13). Increased BP and use of antihypertensive treatment were not more common in middle-aged women with PCOS than in controls.…”

“…This might imply that BMI and age are stronger contributing factors in the development of MetS than hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance, commonly encountered in women with PCOS (13). Indeed, previous studies from this cohort of patients have indicated that insulin resistance remains unchanged over time, whereas free androgen levels decrease with increasing age (2).…”

Defining hirsutism in Chinese women: a cross-sectional study

“…The levels of total testerone (TT) androstenedione, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) fasting glucose, and fasting insulin were determined by automatic chemical luminescence immunoassay (IMMULITE1000, Siemens, China Medical Solutions Group). After the screening, the blood test of subjects with suspected PCOS or thyroid disorder were further reanalyzed in the gynecologic endocrine lab of the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, including FSH, LH, E 2 , PRL, and TT by the chemiluminescence immunoassays Access 2 (Beckman, Fullerton, CA); free T, DHEA, androstenedione, and 17a-hydroxyprogesterone by Access 2 ELISAs (Beckman); and TSH by chemiluminescence immunometric assay (Immulite 2000 Analyzer; CPC, Los Angeles, CA) (26,27).…”

Metabolic syndrome in infertile women with polycystic ovarian syndrome

“…Many of the metabolic abnormalities of PCOS patients overlap with components of MS. The prevalence rates of MS in PCOS women vary among different countries and ethnicities as follows: 43-46% in America (11,12), 37.9% in India (13), 35.3% in Thailand (14), 28.4% in Brazil (15), 16.8% in China (16), 14.5% in Korea (17), 11.6% in Turkey (18) and 8.2% in Southern Italy (19). These differences in prevalence rates of MS in PCOS patients in different countries may be depended to several factors, like age, BMI, and race of patients as well as different approaches to define MS and PCOS.…”