Normal serum uric acid concentrations in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Recently, an inverse correlation between serum uric acid concentrations and insulin sensitivity has been described in subjects with varying degrees of metabolic syndrome, suggesting that measurement of serum uric acid may provide a simple marker of insulin resistance. Several biochemical and clinical features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) resemble those of metabolic syndrome: women with PCOS are often obese; they are also at increased risk for the development of coronary artery disease, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. The objective of the present study was to analyse the usefulness of serum uric acid measurement in screening for the metabolic syndrome in women with PCOS. For that purpose serum concentrations of uric acid, insulin and triglycerides were measured in 38 women with PCOS and 20 weight-matched control women with regular menstrual cycles. No differences were found in the uric acid concentrations between the PCOS and control groups. The mean concentrations of triglycerides and fasting insulin were higher in the women with PCOS than in the healthy controls. Serum uric acid concentrations were inversely related to serum hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations, and positively with body mass index (BMI), insulin concentrations and testosterone:SHBG ratio in the PCOS group. Our results suggest that measurement of serum uric acid does not provide new means for identification of metabolic syndrome in patients with PCOS.