Adipose insulin resistance is associated with cardiovascular risk factors in polycystic ovary syndrome

PurposeThe effects of adipose insulin resistance on cardiovascular risk factors in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) remain largely unknown. We aimed to investigate associations between adipose insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk factors in PCOS.MethodsA total of 207 PCOS and 47 non-PCOS women were recruited from a large reproductive medicine center in this cross-sectional study. The PCOS diagnosis was based on the Rotterdam Criteria. The subjects received a standard oral glucose tolerance test. Adipose insulin resistance was evaluated using a validated index (adipose-IR=fasting insulinxfree fatty acid concentrations).ResultsThe women with PCOS showed a higher adipose-IR index, and the adipose-IR index was tightly associated with the blood pressure, glucose and lipid parameters. A total of 98.0% of the women with PCOS in the highest adipose-IR quartile showed cardiovascular risk factors (obesity, hypertension, glucose intolerance or dyslipidemia), and this percentage was significantly higher than the percentage of those in the lowest quartile (32.7%). In addition, the percentages of women with three (31.4%) and four (13.7%) cardiovascular risk factors were significantly elevated in the highest adipose-IR quartile. The multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that each 1-SD increment in the adipose-IR index resulted in higher risks of obesity (OR=3.18, 95% CI=2.12-4.76), hypertension (OR=1.89, 95% CI=1.31-2.73), glucose intolerance (OR=2.45, 95% CI=1.73-3.48), and dyslipidemia (OR=2.18, 95% CI=1.57-3.01). The C-reactive protein (CRP) level was positively associated with the adipose-IR index in women with PCOS (r=0.45, P<0.001).ConclusionsThe adipose-IR index was associated with cardiovascular risk factors in women with PCOS. Chronic inflammation may induce insulin resistance in the adipose tissue of women with PCOS.