M.J. Del Río V.’s scientific contributions

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder during a women's reproductive years. Insulin resistance, obesity and diabetes mellitus have been correlated to PCOS. Objective: To analyze in PCOS patients, the relationship between testosterone, obesity and carbohydrate metabolism disorders. Patients and Methods: Sixty patients, aged 14-32, were diagnosed with PCOS following the Rotterdam Consensus. Total testosterone, 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and body mass index (BMI) were performed in all patients. The distribution of each variable and the relationship between testosterone and the other variables were analyzed. Results: The mean total testosterone concentration was 2.2 nmol/L. 71.7% of the subjects showed a normal BMI, 21.7% were overweight and 6.6% were obese. Total testosterone levels (mean) for each BMI were 2.20 nmol/L for both normal and overweight, and 2.75 nmol/L for obese. In respect to the OGTT, 43.3% had a normal response, with a mean total testosterone value of 2.2 nmol/L and a mean BMI of 22.3 kg/m 2, while the remaining 56.7% had an abnormal response, with a mean total testosterone value of 2.19 nmol/L and a BMI of 23.1 kg/m2. While no correlation was observed with normal and overweight patients all obese subjects had an altered OGTT. Conclusions: The high prevalence of metabolic disorders reinforces the need for these parameters to be studied in PCOS patients. The absence of correlation between total testosterone and the other variables, suggests that in PCOS multiple factors are involved and that this syndrome includes different sub-populations of patients that require a revised diagnosis. Therefore, classification of PCOS patients into subgroups would be clinically advantageous before the initiation of treatment.