Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is frequently associated with metabolic dysfunction. A new study suggests that in women with PCOS the severity of menstrual dysfunction serves as a predictor of the presence, and possibly the degree, of insulin resistance. This finding might serve to refine the indications for metabolic screening in PCOS.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$209.00 per year
only $17.42 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Escobar-Morreale, H. F. & San Millán, J. L. Abdominal adiposity and the polycystic ovary syndrome. Trends Endocrinol. Metab. 18, 266–272 (2007).
Brower, M., Brennan, K., Pall, M. & Azziz, R. The severity of menstrual dysfunction as a predictor of insulin resistance in PCOS. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/jc.2013-2815.
The Rotterdam ESHRE/ASRM-sponsored PCOS consensus workshop group. Revised 2003 consensus on diagnostic criteria and long-term health risks related to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Hum. Reprod. 19, 41–47 (2004).
Azziz, R. et al. The Androgen Excess and PCOS Society criteria for the polycystic ovary syndrome: the complete task force report. Fertil. Steril. 91, 456–488 (2009).
Azziz, R. Controversy in clinical endocrinology: diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome: the Rotterdam criteria are premature. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 91, 781–785 (2006).
Franks, S. Controversy in clinical endocrinology: diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome: in defense of the Rotterdam criteria. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 91, 786–789 (2006).
Barber, T. M., Wass, J. A., McCarthy, M. I. & Franks, S. Metabolic characteristics of women with polycystic ovaries and oligo-amenorrhoea but normal androgen levels: implications for the management of polycystic ovary syndrome. Clin. Endocrinol. (Oxf.) 66, 513–517 (2007).
Moghetti, P. et al. Divergences in insulin resistance between the different phenotypes of the polycystic ovary syndrome. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 98, E628–E637 (2013).
Jayaprakasan, K. et al. Prediction of in vitro fertilization outcome at different antral follicle count thresholds in a prospective cohort of 1,012 women. Fertil. Steril. 98, 657–663 (2012).
Carmina, E., Napoli, N., Longo, R. A., Rini, G. B. & Lobo, R. A. Metabolic syndrome in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): lower prevalence in southern Italy than in the USA and the influence of criteria for the diagnosis of PCOS. Eur. J. Endocrinol. 154, 141–145 (2006).
Acknowledgements
The author would like to acknowledge the support of Grant FIS PI1100357 from Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The author declares no competing financial interests.
PowerPoint slides
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Escobar-Morreale, H. Menstrual dysfunction—a proxy for insulin resistance in PCOS?. Nat Rev Endocrinol 10, 10–11 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2013.232
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2013.232
This article is cited by
-
Pre-pregnancy menstrual cycle regularity and length and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: prospective cohort study
Diabetologia (2021)
-
Polycystic ovary syndrome: definition, aetiology, diagnosis and treatment
Nature Reviews Endocrinology (2018)