[Glucose and lipid metabolism in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome]

Glucose and lipid metabolism were studied in 30 patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), divided into obese (n = 17) and non-obese (n = 13) groups according to BMI > 27 or < 24. Another 30 healthy controls were also divided into obese (n = 14) and nonobese (n = 16) normal groups on the same index. Cubital venous blood was drawn from each participant for oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), insulin and lipid profile determination, for PCOS groups at the end of 3 months amenorrhea and control groups within the first 10 days of the menstrual cycle. The results showed: (1) the PCOS groups had much higher insulin level before and after OGTT than the normal groups. There was a significant positive correlation between fasting insulin level and testosterone concentration; (2) in lipid profile, the triglyceride levels in both obese groups were significantly higher than that in the non-obese groups, in whom a strong positive correlation between triglyceride and BMI was found. It is concluded that the obese and non-obese PCOS were correlated with insulin alteration, and the changed serum lipid in obese PCOS patients might be the effect of obesity but not PCOS.