Wedge resection to improve insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome: a study among Chinese women.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relation between androgen excess and insulin resistance in nonobese Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

DESIGN

A prospective, controlled study.

SETTING

School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing University.

SUBJECTS: There were three groups: Group 1 (n = 15) comprised nonobese women with polycystic ovary syndrome; Group 2 comprised 12 of these 15 women in whom bilateral wedge resection had been performed six months to one year before enrolling in the study. Group 3 was a control group comprised of 15 normally menstruating women of similar age and body mass index.

METHODS

An oral glucose (100 g) tolerance test was performed in all women in each group. The areas under the response curve of serum glucose, insulin, C-peptide (C-P), insulin/glucose (I/G) and C-P/insulin (C/I) were calculated by trapezoid rule.

RESULTS

When fasting the three groups had similar levels of glucose, insulin, C-P, I/G and C/I. During the oral glucose tolerance test women of Group 1 had a significantly higher mean serum area of the curve of glucose, insulin, C-P and I/G levels and lower C/I values, compared with the other two groups. Women of Group 2 and those in the control group showed similar levels of these indices during the oral glucose tolerance test.

CONCLUSIONS

Androgen excess in women with polycystic ovary syndrome may be responsible for a defect in peripheral insulin sensitivity and hepatic extraction which could be reversed by removing excessive androgens with wedge resection.