Introduction: Insulin resistance (IR) is confirmed as an important feature among polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), a vital marker of ovarian dysfunction, is proposed for inclusion in the diagnosis of PCOS in adolescents. We sought to investigate the relationship between the AMH level and IR in Chinese girls with PCOS.
Material and methods: 92 girls with PCOS aged 14-18 years were enrolled and divided into 2 subgroups: PCOS with IR group (n = 25) and PCOS without IR group (n = 67). A homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) value ≥ 2.5 was defined as IR. Clinical data and biochemical indexes were compared between the 2 groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis and multivariate linear regression analysis were performed to determine which clinical variables were independently associated with IR and AMH level, respectively.
Results: PCOS girls with IR had higher levels of AMH than those of PCOS girls without IR (p < 0.01). Moreover, body mass index, triglyceride, and AMH values were shown to be independent risk factors for HOMA-IR after multivariate analysis. Meanwhile, age, insulin, and follicle-stimulating hormone levels were significantly related to AMH levels in those girls.
Conclusions: Our findings show that AMH is an independent determinant of IR in PCOS adolescents, and the fasting insulin level is closely associated with the AMH level, which indicates that the AMH pathway might play a role in the development of IR in PCOS adolescents. The interaction between AMH and IR in PCOS girls warrants further large-scale evaluation.
Keywords: adolescents; anti-Müllerian hormone; insulin resistance; polycystic ovary syndrome.