Table 2. Clinical and biochemical characteristics of PCOS and control women. PCOS women were stratified according to androgen subgroups.
| Control women | PCOS | NA/NFT | HA/NFT | NA/HFT | HA/HFT | |||||||
| (n = 140) | (n = 706) | (n = 354) | (n = 179) | (n = 65) | (n = 108) | |||||||
| Median | IQR | Median | IQR | Median | IQR | Median | IQR | Median | IQR | Median | IQR | |
| Clinical characteristics | ||||||||||||
| Age (years) | 29 | 23–31 | 27 | 23–31 | 28 | 24–33 | 27d | 23–29 | 26b , d | 22–30 | 25b , d | 22–28 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 23.6 | 20.9–28.1 | 24.2 | 21.3–30.1 | 24.2 | 21.5–29 | 22.2d | 20.1–24.4 | 27.7b , d | 22.9–33.1 | 27.4d | 23.2–34.2 |
| Waist circumference (cm) | 81 | 75–92 | 82 | 72–96 | 83 | 73–95 | 74d | 69–82 | 91b , d | 77–108 | 90b | 77–102 |
| Waist-to-hip ratio | 0.83 | 0.78–0.87 | 0.79 | 0.73–0.87 | 0.8 | 0.74–0.87 | 0.75b , d | 0.71–0.81 | 0.84 | 0.75–0.94 | 0.82 | 0.75–0.88 |
| Total body fat (%) | 26.5 | 21.0–30.5 | 25.6 | 22.6–29.2 | 25.3 | 21.9–29.4 | 26.5 | 22.2–29.1 | 24.8 | 22.7–28.1 | 25.6 | 24.1–29.6 |
| Fat mass (kg) | 17.3 | 12.4–24.3 | 18.3 | 13.8–23.4 | 17.5 | 13.4–21.0 | 17.2 | 12.9–20.3 | 25.2d | 22.5–27.2 | 21.5d | 16.7–26.7 |
| Subcutaneous adipose tissue mass (kg) | 14.2 | 10.1–19.2 | 15.9 | 12.1–19.0 | 15.0 | 11.3–17.9 | 15.5 | 11.1–18.8 | 18.9 | 17.5–20.9 | 18.0 | 14.5–21.8 |
| Visceral adipose tissue mass (kg) | 3.1 | 2.2–4.7 | 2.5 | 1.6–4.0 | 2.4 | 1.5–3.3 | 2.0 | 1.4–2.9 | 5.9d | 3.1–7.1 | 3.1d | 2.3–5.8 |
| Systolic BP (mmHg) | 116 | 110–124 | 118 | 110–130 | 115 | 107–127 | 116 | 110–126 | 124b | 113–135 | 124 | 112–132 |
| Diastolic BP (mmHg) | 76 | 68–83 | 80b | 74–89 | 79b | 70–86 | 80 | 73–85 | 83b | 75–90 | 85b , d | 75–91 |
| Ferriman-Gallwey score | 2 | 0–4 | 6b | 2.0–11.0 | 7b | 3–11 | 5 | 1–9 | 7b | 3–12 | 7b | 3–12 |
| Metabolic characteristics | ||||||||||||
| Fasting glucose (mmol/l) | 4.7 | 4.4–5.1 | 4.7 | 4.4–5.0 | 4.7 | 4.3–5 | 4.7 | 4.4–5 | 4.7 | 4.4–5.1 | 4.7d | 4.4–5.2 |
| 2 h glucose (mmol/l) | 5.2 | 4.3–5.9 | 5.3 | 4.5–6.4 | 5.3 | 4.5–6.5 | 5.1 | 4.3–6.2 | 5.9d | 5.3–7.5 | 5.7d | 5.0–7.3 |
| AUCgluc | 160.9 | 138.8–189.8 | 172.3a | 151.3–198.8 | 174 | 149.3–196 | 168.9 | 149.1–189 | 179.3a , c | 167–198.8 | 174.8c | 153.3–212.3 |
| HbA1c (%) | 5.2 | 5–5.5 | 5.2 | 5–5.3 | 5.1d | 5.0–5.3 | 5.1d | 4.9–5.2 | 5.3d | 5.1–5.8 | 5.2d | 5.0–5.4 |
| Fasting insulin (µU/ml) | 4.7 | 2.5–7.5 | 6.2a | 3.8–9.8 | 6b | 3.9–8.9 | 5 | 3.1–8 | 8.7b , d | 5–13.8 | 9.1b , d | 5.4–14.3 |
| Insulin 2 h (µU/ml) | 27.9 | 16.2–47.7 | 33.4a | 20–58 | 31.5 | 19.0–50.2 | 30 | 16.5–50.1 | 55.9b , d | 28.5–87.8 | 45b , d | 25.4–81.1 |
| AUCins | 53.9 | 36.5–78.3 | 61.6a | 39.4–96.7 | 57.4 | 37.7–80.3 | 49.2 | 31.5–73.8 | 88.4b , d | 59.7–124.5 | 77.3b , d | 52.6–132.4 |
| HOMA-IR | 1.0 | 0.5–1.6 | 1.3b | 0.8–2.2 | 1.2b | 0.8–1.9 | 1.1 | 0.6–1.8 | 1.8b , d | 1.1–3 | 2.0b , d | 1.1–3.1 |
| QUICKI | 0.38 | 0.35–0.43 | 0.37a | 0.34–0.4 | 0.37 | 0.35–0.4 | 0.38 | 0.35–0.41 | 0.35b , d | 0.32–0.38 | 0.34b , d | 0.32–0.38 |
| Matsuda-index | 8.8 | 5.0–15.7 | 7.3a | 4.5–11.30 | 7.4 | 2.0–11.5 | 8.6 | 5.6–13.5 | 4.8b , d | 2.8–8.3 | 4.9b , d | 3.2–7.9 |
| Oral disposition index | 3.3 | 1.8–7.0 | 2.5 | 1.5–4.4 | 2.5 | 2.5–4.3 | 2.5 | 1.4–4.8 | 2.5 | 1.8–4.8 | 1.9b | 1.2–3.8 |
| Triglycerides (mmol/l) | 0.8 | 0.6–1.2 | 0.9 | 0.6–1.2 | 0.8d | 0.6–1.1 | 0.7d | 0.6–1.0 | 1.1d | 0.8–1.5 | 1.1d | 0.8–1.4 |
| Total cholesterol (mmol/l) | 4.8 | 4.2–5.4 | 4.6a | 4.0–5.2 | 4.6 | 4.1–5.2 | 4.7 | 4–5.1 | 4.7 | 4.0–5 | 4.7 | 4.1–5.3 |
| LDL cholesterol (mmol/l) | 2.6 | 2.2–33 | 2.6 | 2.2–3.1 | 2.6 | 2.2–3.1 | 2.5 | 2–2.9 | 2.6 | 2–3.1 | 2.6 | 2.2–3.1 |
| HDL cholesterol (mmol/l) | 1.9 | 1.6–2.2 | 1.7b | 1.4–2.0 | 1.7b | 1.3–2 | 1.8d | 1.6–2.1 | 1.5b | 1.3–1.9 | 1.6b | 1.3–1.9 |
| TC/HDL cholesterol-ratio | 2.6 | 2.3–3.3 | 2.7 | 2.3–3.4 | 2.8 | 2.3–3.4 | 2.5d | 2.1–3.1 | 2.8d | 2.2–3.7 | 3.1d | 2.5–3.9 |
| IR (%) | 7.9 | 22.7b | 15.4a | 12.3 | 44.2b , d | 48.5b , d | ||||||
| Prediabetes/T2DM (%) | 13.4 | 13.8 | 12.2 | 9.6 | 33.3d | 15.5 | ||||||
| MS (%) | 7.7 | 11.8 | 9.4 | 4.3 | 17.9b , c | 29.1b , c | ||||||
| Endocrine characteristics | ||||||||||||
| Testosterone (nmol/l) | 1.5 | 1.1–1.9 | 2.2b | 1.7–2.8 | 1.7b | 1.4–2.1 | 2.4b , d | 2.0–2.8 | 2.8b , d | 2.4–3.2 | 3.2b , d | 2.7–3.9 |
| Free testosterone (pmol/l) | 4.0 | 3.0–7.0 | 9.0b | 7.0–13.0 | 7.0b | 5.0–9.0 | 9.0b , d | 7.0–11.0 | 17.5b , d | 16.0–19.5 | 17.0b , d | 16.0–19.0 |
| Androstenedione/free testosterone-ratio | 1.35 | 0.94–2.35 | 1.05b | 0.75–1.47 | 0.95b | 0.72–1.25 | 1.71d | 1.26–2.42 | 0.58 b , d | 0.48–0.77 | 1.13d | 0.83–1.42 |
| FAI | 2.0 | 1.1–3.2 | 5.0b | 3.2.7.7 | 3.7b | 2.4–5.2 | 4.6b | 3.4–5.8 | 11.3b , d | 9.5–14.3 | 10.9, d | 8.1–14.2 |
| SHBG (nmol/l) | 70.8 | 49.6–111.8 | 45.4b | 29.8–63.0 | 48.5b | 32.6–66.3 | 53.5b | 37.1–73.6 | 30.6b , d | 22.5–41.2 | 35.0b , d | 23.5–48.4 |
| Androstenedione (nmol/l) | 5.4 | 4.2–8.7 | 10.1b | 7.0–14.8 | 7.0b | 5.5–8.7 | 13.9b , d | 11.9–18.7 | 8.8b , d | 7.4–9.5 | 16.6b , d | 14.0–22.0 |
| DHEAS (µmol/l) | 2.5 | 1.8–3.8 | 5.2b | 3.6–7.2 | 4.4b | 3.0–6.0 | 5.5b | 3.8–7.4 | 5.6b | 4–7.5 | 6.7b , d | 5.1–9.1 |
a
p<0.01.
b
p<0.001 compared to healthy controls.
c
p<0.01.
d
p<0.001 compared to NA/NT group.
Comparisons between groups were performed using ANOVA or χ2-test.
PCOS polycystic ovary syndrome, NA normal androstenedione, NFT normal free testosterone, HA high androstenedione, HFT high free testosterone, IQR interquartile range, BMI body mass index, BP blood pressure, AUC area under the curve, HOMA-IR homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance, QUICKI quantitative insulin sensitivity check index, LDL low density lipoprotein, HDL high density lipoprotein, T2DM type 2 diabetes mellitus, MS metabolic syndrome, FAI free androgen index, SHBG sex-hormone binding globulin, DHEAS dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate.