Table 1.
The clinical characteristics and metabolic profiles of all the participants.
| Parameters | Controls (n = 15) |
PCOS (n = 33) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-obese, n = 9 | Obese, n = 6 | Non-obese, n = 12 | Obese, n = 21 | F | P adjusted for age | |
| Age (years) | 32.2 ± 5.9 | 33 ± 5.4 | 25.5 ± 4.3 | 29.3 ± 6.5 | 3.3 | / |
| Anthropometric parameters | ||||||
| BMI (kg/m2) | 21.9 ± 2.2b | 27.5 ± 3.3a | 21.6 ± 2.2b | 30 ± 3.6a | 46 | <0.0001 |
| Waist circumference (cm) | 68.8 ± 5.7c | 84.7 ± 12.3b | 75 ± 7.8c | 95.1 ± 9.2a | 24 | <0.0001 |
| WHR | 0.78 ± 0.05c | 0.8 ± 0.1b | 0.79 ± 0.06bc | 0.92 ± 0.05a | 20 | <0.0001 |
| Hirsutism score | 8 ± 0b | 8 ± 0b | 17.5 ± 6.5a | 16.6 ± 5.7a | 31 | <0.0001 |
| Blood RT | ||||||
| Leukocyte (10^9/L) | 6.8 ± 2 | 6.4 ± 1 | 7.1 ± 2.1 | 7.3 ± 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.49 |
| Neutrocyte (10^9/L) | 4.1 ± 0.8 | 4.1 ± 1.2 | 4.5 ± 2 | 4.6 ± 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.6638 |
| Lymphocyte (10^9/L) | 2.1 ± 0.9 | 2.3 ± 0.6 | 2 ± 0.4 | 2.3 ± 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.7929 |
| Sex hormones | ||||||
| FSH (IU/L) | 5.3 ± 2.2 | 7 ± 0.9 | 7.2 ± 2.3 | 6.4 ± 2.5 | 1.6 | 0.2072 |
| LH (IU/L) | 7.5 ± 4.1b | 11.3 ± 5.7ab | 15.7 ± 8.5a | 19.4 ± 31.2ab | 3.2 | 0.0335 |
| Testosterone (nmol/L) | 0.79 ± 0.41b | 1 ± 0.4b | 4.5 ± 2a | 5.4 ± 2.7a | 14 | <0.0001 |
| LH/FSH | 1.5 ± 0.7 | 1.6 ± 0.7 | 2.3 ± 1.1 | 2.5 ± 2 | 2.1 | 0.1117 |
| Metabolic parameters | ||||||
| FPG (mmol/L) | 5 ± 0.4 | 5.2 ± 0.4 | 4.7 ± 0.5 | 5 ± 2.1 | 2.7 | 0.0591 |
| PPG (mmol/L) | 6 ± 0.9b | 5.5 ± 1b | 6 ± 1.3b | 8.5 ± 2.6a | 8.8 | 0.0001 |
| FINS (uU/mL) | 11.9 ± 4a | 15.6 ± 5a | 5.5 ± 2.4b | 14.3 ± 7.4a | 11 | <0.0001 |
| P2hINS (uU/mL) | 54.1 ± 31.5b | 83.7 ± 52.4ab | 65.5 ± 53.3b | 163 ± 99.3a | 7.7 | 0.0003 |
| HOMA-IR | 1.7 ± 1.1a | 3.5 ± 1a | 1.1 ± 0.5b | 3.3 ± 2.1a | 11 | <0.0001 |
| HOMA-beta | 159.8 ± 32.7a | 203.7 ± 107a | 174.8 ± 284.2a | 339.8 ± 254.8a | 3.3 | 0.0279 |
| HbA1c (%) | 5 ± 0.3b | 5.3 ± 0.3b | 5.2 ± 0.3b | 5.9 ± 1.1a | 9.4 | <0.0001 |
| ALT (U/L) | 14 ± 9.6b | 16.2 ± 10.7b | 17.5 ± 8.9ab | 32.9 ± 28.3a | 4.1 | 0.0123 |
| AST (U/L) | 15.9 ± 1.9 | 16.5 ± 5.4 | 19.4 ± 5.5 | 27.7 ± 23.6 | 2.1 | 0.1198 |
| GGT (U/L) | 14.1 ± 3.6b | 19.2 ± 10.4ab | 13.8 ± 3.4b | 26.3 ± 23.6a | 4.8 | 0.0057 |
| TCH (mmol/L) | 4.5 ± 0.9 | 4.8 ± 0.9 | 4.4 ± 1.1 | 4.6 ± 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.8762 |
| TG (mmol/L) | 1 ± 0.6b | 1.3 ± 1ab | 0.83 ± 0.38b | 1.5 ± 0.7a | 7.1 | 0.0005 |
| Mediators of the brain–gut axis | ||||||
| Serotonin (ng/mL) | 294.2 ± 91.8a | 199.6 ± 38.1b | 211.5 ± 69b | 193.6 ± 54.4b | 4.1 | 0.012 |
| Ghrelin (ng/mL) | 0.51 ± 0.08a | 0.44 ± 0.04ab | 0.4 ± 0.1b | 0.24 ± 0.05c | 27 | <0.0001 |
| PYY (pg/mL) | 79.8 ± 24.1a | 79.2 ± 17.5a | 56.8 ± 16.1ab | 62.1 ± 48.4b | 4.9 | 0.0052 |
| Psychological scales | ||||||
| SDS value | 39.2 ± 8.1b | 42.4 ± 12.4ab | 36.9 ± 6.9b | 50.1 ± 9.4a | 6.6 | 0.0009 |
| SAS value | 32.7 ± 5.5b | 34.2 ± 7.2ab | 35.9 ± 4.5ab | 42.8 ± 9.1a | 5.4 | 0.003 |
Data are presented as mean ± SD. Multiple comparison: means with the same letter (a, b, or c) are not significantly different, with different letters are significantly different (adjusted P < 0.05). P-value by ANOVA for normally distributed variables or non-parameter Wilcoxon test for non-normally distributed. The parameters of age, waist circumference, leukocyte, testosterone, AST, ALT, TCH, and SDS value were normally distributed. PCOS, polycystic ovary syndrome; BMI, body mass index; WHR, Waist hip ratio; Blood RT, blood routine test; FSH, follicular stimulating hormone; LH, luteinizing hormone; FPG, fasting plasma glucose; PPG, 2h postprandial plasma glucose; FINS, fasting plasma insulin; P2hINS, 2h postprandial plasma insulin; HOMA-IR, Homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance index; HOMA-beta, Homeostasis model assessment for beta cell function; HbA1c, Hemoglobin A1c; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate transaminase; GGT, γ-glutamyltransferase; TCH, total cholesterol; TG, triglyceride; PYY, peptide YY; SDS, self-rating depression scale; SAS, self-rating anxiety scale.