PCOS-related insulin resistance varies by race

[LeeDawson]

Posted: 27 November 2002 by Orgyn.com

PCOS-related insulin resistance varies by race
Source: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2002; 187: 1362-9

Race-specific cutoff values may be needed for insulin resistance screening in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.


The degree of insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) appears to vary by race, which should be taken into account in screening protocols, say investigators.

Dr. Robert Kauffman and colleagues from Texas Tech University Health Science Center in Amarillo, USA, studied the insulin profiles of 45 white and 26 Mexican American women with PCOS, and 11 white and 8 Mexican American healthy controls. None of the women had diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance.

Among the women with PCOS, insulin resistance was significantly more common among Mexican American women than white women (73 percent versus 47 percent). In addition, Mexican American women had higher fasting insulin levels and lower glucose/insulin levels than white women. A single cutoff value for insulin resistance was insensitive when applied to both groups.

The researchers conclude that the incidence and extent of insulin resistance is higher among Mexican American women with PCOS than in white women with the condition, and a single screening value for PCOS-related insulin resistance cannot be applied to both populations.

The findings suggest that "normative values for insulin resistance screening in the PCOS population should be individualized for different racial or ethnic populations," they comment.

Posted: 27 November 2002

[KatCarney]

VERY interesting!

~kat