Association between Steroid Hormones and Insulin Resistance in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Nima Taghizadeh; Soha Mohammadi; Vahid Saeedi; Ladan Haghighi; Mona Nourbakhsh; Mitra  Nourbakhsh; Maryam Razzaghy Azar

doi:10.18502/abi.v1i1.14062

Nima Taghizadeh Hazrat Aliasghar Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Soha Mohammadi Hazrat Aliasghar Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Vahid Saeedi Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism Department, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Ladan Haghighi Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akbar-Abadi Hospital, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mona Nourbakhsh Hazrat Aliasghar Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mitra Nourbakhsh Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Maryam Razzaghy Azar Hazrat Aliasghar Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/abi.v1i1.14062

Keywords: Polycystic ovary syndrome, Insulin Resistance, Obesity, Body mass index, Cholesterol, Androstenedione, Testosterone

Abstract

Objectives: Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) are more prone to adverse outcomes, including hypertension, obesity, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. This study examined the potential link between abnormal steroid hormone levels and insulin resistance (IR) in reproductive-aged women with PCOS.

Methods: This study involved 61 participants: a case group of 33 patients with confirmed PCOS based on Rotterdam criteria and a control group of 28 healthy individuals without PCOS. Steroid hormone levels, IR indices, metabolic markers, and demographic characteristics of participants were measured.

Results: The results showed significant differences in testosterone (P=0.018), dihydrotestosterone (DHT) (P=0.009), and androstenedione (P=0.002) levels between the two groups. Insulin levels and HOMA-IR were significantly higher in the patients (P=0.034 and 0.025, respectively). Significant correlations were found between androstenedione and insulin (P=0.021), fasting blood sugar, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) levels (P=0.001), as well as between DHT level and IR indices (P=0.03). Additionally, patients with PCOS had higher diastolic blood pressure and lower levels of T4.

Conclusion: The findings of this study showed higher androgen levels in PCOS patients and a significant correlation between DHT and androstenedione levels with IR indices in PCOS patients, which establishes a remarkable connection between hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance in PCOS.