Rakhi Agarwal1 , Nazer Thalamkandathil2 , Uma Radhesh3 , Rasheeda Beegum4
BACKGROUND Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a spectrum of disorders that causes many negative effects involving a variety of systems in the body such as the endocrine, metabolic, and reproductive systems. Metabolic problems may include insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, impaired glucose tolerance (abnormal glucose metabolism), diabetes mellitus, and potentially cardiovascular disease. This study is aimed at comparing the lipid parameters and insulin resistance in overweight PCOS patients with those of overweight non PCOS females and investigate the association between lipid parameters and insulin resistance with respect to PCOS after nullifying the effect of increased Body Mass Index (BMI). METHODS This is a comparative case control study conducted among 100 females of reproductive age group with BMI > 25, attending the outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital. Out of these 100 women, 50 were PCOS (cases) and rest 50 were non PCOS (controls) matched for age, sex and BMI. RESULTS Distribution of age between the two groups was not identical (p value < 0.001). 26 % patients in non PCOS group had total cholesterol > 200 compared to 10 % patients in PCOS group. This difference is statistically significant (p value = 0.037). Non PCOS group has higher low-density lipoprotein > 130, but difference is not statistically significant. The PCOS group has higher triglyceride > 150, but the difference is not statistically significant. Regarding the high-density lipoprotein value, there was no significant difference between the groups. Fasting Plasma Insulin is higher in overweight PCOS group (72 %) in comparison with overweight non PCOS group (58 %). However, it is not statistically significant. Insulin resistance is higher in overweight PCOS group in comparison with overweight non PCOS group (50 %), but it is not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS PCOS may be an independent risk factor for increased fasting plasma insulin, insulin resistance, and increased TG. Non PCOS group had higher total cholesterol (TC) and LDL in comparison to PCOS group. The TC difference between the two groups is statistically significant. There was no significant difference in abnormal HDL value in both groups.
