Association of biochemical hyperandrogenism with type 2 diabetes and obesity in Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of hyperandrogenism on metabolic disorders among patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) diagnosed using the Rotterdam criteria.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of the clinical records of 883 women with PCOS and 717 premenopausal controls identified from the general population.

Results: A total of 686 (77.7%) patients were classified with PCOS based on National Institutes of Health (NIH) criteria, and 164 out of 197 (83.2%) additional patients had no hyperandrogenism. Women with normal androgen levels exhibited lower frequencies of obesity, type 2 diabetes, acanthosis nigricans, genetic history of diabetes, and elevated Matsuda index compared with hyperandrogenic patients. Hyperandrogenemia, but not hirsutism, was independently associated with the risk for type 2 diabetes (odds ratio [OR] 5.7; P=0.028) and obesity (OR 1.7; P=0.005) among Chinese patients with PCOS.

Conclusions: Hyperandrogenemia is associated with type 2 diabetes and obesity in Chinese women with PCOS and should be considered at first-line management of hyperandrogenism and infertility due to PCOS.