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. 2014 Oct 13;9(10):e108263. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0108263

Table 3. Clinical and biochemical characteristics of PCOS women according to androstenedione/free testosterone-ratio quartiles.

Androstenedione/free testosterone-ratio quartiles
quartile 1 (<0.75) quartile 2 (0.75–1.05) quartile 3 (1.06–1.47) quartile 4 (>1.47)
(n = 176) (n = 177) (n = 177) (n = 176)
Median IQR Median IQR Median IQR Median IQR
Clinical characteristics
Age (years) 27 23–33 27 24–31 26 23–31 27 23–30
BMI (kg/m2) 27.9 24–35.3 25.5a 23.1–30.4 22.3b , d 20.5–27.0 21.6c , e 20–30
Waist circumference (cm) 94 82–112 85a 79–96 80b , d 72–88 73c , e 69–82
Waist-to-hip ratio 0.85 0.78–0.95 0.81 0.76–0.89 0.78b , d 0.74–0.84 0.75c , e 0.71–0.81
Total body fat (%) 25.8 23.6–28.8 26.8 24.3–30.4 23.4b , d 19.8–26.1 23.9e 17.0–29.1
Fat mass (kg) 21.8 17.3–26.5 19.6 16.1–23.3 15.0b , d 11.4–18.8 13.8c , e 10.7–19.6
Subcutaneous adipose tissue mass (kg) 17.4 14.5–20.8 16.5 13.9–19.3 12.6b , d 10.1–17.1 12.4c , e 8.0–17.4
Visceral adipose tissue mass (kg) 3.5 2.2–5.9 2.7 1.8–4.0 1.8b 1.4–2.8 1.9c 1.3–2.7
Systolic BP (mmHg) 122 110–139 120 110–128 114b 105–125 115c 109–125
Diastolic BP (mmHg) 85 74–96 80 74–87 76b 70–84 80c 72–87
Ferriman-Gallwey score 9 4.0–13 7 3.0–11.0 5 b 2.0–9.0 5 2.0–10.0
Metabolic characteristics
Fasting glucose (mmol/l) 4.8 4.5–5.2 4.7 4.3–5.1 4.6b 4.3–5.0 4.7c 4.4–5.0
2 h glucose (mmol/l) 5.9 5.1–7.1 5.6 4.7–6.5 5.2b , d 4.1–5.9 5.2c 4.4–6.5
AUCgluc 186.6 159.5–211.8 176.6 151–208.8 168.8b 148.8–192.5 169c 151.8–194.8
HbA1c (%) 5.2 5–5.4 5.1a 5.0–5.3 5.1b 5.0–5.3 5.1c 4.9–5.3
Fasting insulin (µU/ml) 8.6 5.9–14.3 6.7 4.3–10.5 5.2b 3.1–8.5 5c , e 3.0–7.5
Insulin 2 h (µU/ml) 47.4 23.5–91.3 39.6 23–59.5 26.4b 17.8–48.8 28.7c , e 18.8–45.1
AUCins 80.2 50.2–124.5 70.4 54.8–92.4 53.1b 35.9–75.6 48.4c , e 35.2–74.7
HOMA-IR 1.9 1.2–3.4 1.3a 0.9–2.3 1.0b , d 0.6–1.8 1.1c , e 0.6–1.6
QUICKI 0.35 0.32–0.37 0.37 0.34–0.39 0.38b 0.35–0.42 0.38c 0.35–0.41
MATSUDA-index 4.9 2.6–8.5 6.2 4.1–9 8.7b 5.9–11.6 8.6c , e 5.6–12.9
Oral disposition index 2.4 1.4–4.4 2.7 1.5–5.1 2.8 1.7–6.1 2.4 1.4–4.2
Triglycerides (mmol/l) 1.1 0.8–1.5 0.9a 0.6–1.2 0.8b 0.6–11 0.8c 0.6–1
Total cholesterol (mmol/l) 4.6 4.0–5.2 4.6 4–5.1 4.5 4–5.2 4.6 4.1–5.1
LDL cholesterol (mmol/l) 2.6 2.4–3.3 2.6 2.1–2.9 2.4 2.1–3 2.4 2.1–2.9
HDL cholesterol (mmol/l) 1.4 1.2–1.7 1.6a 1.3–1.9 1.8 b , d 1.6–2.1 1.8c , e 1.6–2.2
TC/HDL cholesterol-ratio 3.4 2.6–3.9 2.8a 2.3–3.4 2.6b , d 2.1–2.9 2.5c , e 2.1–3.1
IR (%) 38.7 23.5a 15.7b 11.2c , e
Prediabetes/T2DM (%) 24.2 13.7 4.0b , d 14.6f
MS (%) 25.1 15.5 3.0b , d 5.1c , e
Endocrine characteristics
Testosterone (nmol/l) 2.3 1.9–3.1 2.1a 1.7–2.7 2.2b 1.6–2.8 1.9c 1.4–2.6
Free testosterone (pmol/l) 14 10.0–18 10a 7.0–13.0 9b 6.5–11.0 6.0c , e , f 4.0–9
FAI 8.7 5.6–12.7 5.3a 3.7–7.6 4.3b , d 3.2–6 2.9c , e , f 1.8–4.6
SHBG (nmol/l) 27.5 20.6–40 43.1a 30.3–54.9 52.5b , d 37.8–65.4 63.2c , e , f 46.3–92.5
Androstenedione (nmol/l) 7.7 5.8–9.7 9a 6.5–11.9 10.9b , d 8–14.5 13.4c , e , f 9.5–19.8
DHEAS (µmol/l) 5 3.5–6.6 5.5 3.4–7.2 5.2 4–7.4 5.4 4.0–7.4
a

p<0.01 quartile 1 vs quartile 2.

b

p<0.01 quartile 1 vs. quartile 3.

c

p<0.01 quartile 1 vs quartile 4.

d

p<0.01 quartile 2 vs. quartile 3.

e

p<0.01 quartile 2 vs. quartile 4.

f

p<0.01 quartile 3 vs. quartile 4.

Comparisons between groups were performed using ANOVA or χ2-test.

PCOS polycystic ovary syndrome, 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.