Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2011;33(2):99-103
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032011000200008
Dunnigan-type familial partial lipodystrophy (FPLD) is an autosomal dominant disease that results from heterozygous missense mutations in LMNA, the gene that encodes nuclear lamin A/C. FPLD is characterized by a progressive disappearance of subcutaneous adipose tissue in the limbs, gluteal region, abdomen and trunk, beginning at the time of or after puberty, and excessive amount of fat in the face, chin, labia majora, and intra-abdominal region, leading to a Cushingoid appearance and increased muscularity phenotype. Affected women are particularly predisposed to insulin resistance and its complications, including features of polycystic ovary syndrome. To emphasize the importance of an early FPLD diagnosis, which is necessary to prevent serious metabolic disturbances, we report a woman diagnosed at about 50 years of age. Increased muscularity and significant labia majora fat deposit made the diagnosis possible by gynecologists.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2010;32(11):541-548
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032010001100005
PURPOSE: to reassess the adrenal function of patients with PCOS after the introduction of the Rotterdam's criteria. METHODS: descriptive and cross-sectional study including 53 patients 26±5.1 years old. Glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, lipids, estradiol, progesterone, 17-OHP4, DHEAS, FSH, LH, TSH, PRL, androstenedione, free thyroxine, insulin, total testosterone, SHBG, and free androgen index were measured. Insulin resistance was considered to be present with a homeostatic model assessment index >2.8. The adrenal response to cortrosyn was assessed by the hormonal rise observed at 60 minutes, and by the area under the response curve. RESULTS: biochemical hyperandrogenism was found in 43 of 53 eligible patients (81.1%). Thirty-three women had adrenal hyperandrogenism (62.2%). The weight of these 33 women, aging 25.1±5.0 years, was 74.9±14.9 kg, BMI was 28.8±6.0 and the waist/hip ratio was 0.8±0.1. DHEAS was >6.7 nmol/L in 13 (39.4%) and androstenendione was >8.7 nmol/L in 31 (93.9%). The increments in 17-OHP4, cortisol, A, and progesterone were 163%, 153%, 32%, and 79%, respectively. The homeostatic insulin resistance model was >2.8 in 14 (42.4%). Insulin and estradiol were not correlated with cortisol or androgens. CONCLUSIONS: the use of multiple endocrine parameters showed a high prevalence of biochemical hyperandrogenism in patients with PCOS. Two thirds of the patients had adrenal hyperandrogenism, and estradiol and insulin did not influence adrenal secretion.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2010;32(7):334-339
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032010000700005
PURPOSE: to evaluate clinical and laboratory characteristics of first-degree male relatives of patients with a confirmed diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and to compare the findings with a control group with no family history of PCOS. METHODS: we randomly selected 28 male individuals aged 18 to 65 years who were first-degree relatives of women diagnosed with PCOS and 28 controls matched for age, waist and body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: men with 1st degree kinship with women with PCOS had higher levels of triglycerides (189.6±103.1 versus 99.4±37.1, p<0.0001), Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA-IR) (3.5±9.1 versus 1.0±1.0, p=0.0077) and glucose (130.1±81.7 versus 89.5±7.8, p=0.005), and lower levels of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) (23.8±13.8 versus 31.1±9.1, p=0.003). SHBG levels correlated independently with triglyceride levels. These individuals also had more clinical signs of hyperandrogenism. CONCLUSIONS: male individuals who are first-degree relatives of patients with PCOS have a higher degree of dyslipidemia and insulin resistance, lower levels of SHBG, and more evident clinical signs of hyperandrogenism. These findings suggest that insulin resistance may be of hereditary origin in individuals with a family history of PCOS regardless of anthropometric parameters.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2010;32(3):126-132
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032010000300005
PURPOSE: to compare serum homocysteine levels in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and non-PCOS women and correlate them with clinical, hormonal and metabolic parameters. METHODS: transverse study with carried out on 110 women, including 56 with PCOS and 54 normal controls. Patients were submitted to anamnesis, physical examination and pelvic sonograms and to the determination of homocysteine, C-reactive protein (CRP), glucose insulin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxin (Free T4), prolactin, and testosterone. For the statistical analysis, we used the Student's t test, Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient and the χ2 test. The "enter" method was used to determine independent association between variables. RESULTS: there was a significant increase in the average serum homocysteine levels in the group of patients with PCOS compared to controls (5.97±2.95 versus 5,17±1.33 µmol/L; p=0,015). As expected, since they are affected by PCOS, values of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin and HOMA were significantly different between groups. Serum homocysteine levels, BMI and PCOS were correlated. Multivariate analysis showed that PCOS, by itself, does not correlate with high serum homocysteine levels. CONCLUSIONS: PCOS women have significantly higher serum levels of homocysteine that may increase their risk for cardiovascular disease. However, other intrinsic PCOS-related factors, not identified in this study, may be responsible for this alteration.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2009;31(3):111-116
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032009000300002
PURPOSE: to evaluate whether the presence of insulin resistance (IR) alters cardiovascular risk factors in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (POS). METHODS: transversal study where 60 POS women with ages from 18 to 35 years old, with no hormone intake, were evaluated. IR was assessed through the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) and defined as QUICKI <0.33. The following variables have been compared between the groups with or without IR: anthropometric (weight, height, waist circumference, arterial blood pressure, cardiac frequency), laboratorial (homocysteine, interleucines-6, factor of tumoral-α necrosis, testosterone, fraction of free androgen, total cholesterol and fractions, triglycerides, C reactive protein, insulin, glucose), and ultrasonographical (distensibility and carotid intima-media thickness, dilation mediated by the brachial artery flux). RESULTS: Eighteen women (30%) presented IR and showed significant differences in the following anthropometric markers, as compared to the women without IR (POS with and without IR respectively): body mass index (35.56±5.69 kg/m² versus 23.90±4.88 kg/m², p<0.01), waist (108.17±11.53 versus 79.54±11.12 cm, p<0.01), systolic blood pressure (128.00±10.80 mmHg versus 114.07±8.97 mmHg, p<0.01), diastolic blood pressure (83.67±9.63 mmHg versus 77.07±7.59 mmHg, p=0.01). It has also been observed significant differences in the following laboratorial markers: triglycerides (120.00±56.53 mg/dL versus 77.79±53.46 mg/dL, p=0.01), HDL (43.06±6.30 mg/dL versus 40.45±10.82 mg/dL, p=0.01), reactive C protein (7.98±10.54 mg/L versus 2.61±3.21 mg/L, p<0.01), insulin (28.01±18.18 µU/mL versus 5.38±2.48 µU/mL, p<0.01), glucose (93.56±10.00 mg/dL versus 87.52±8.75 mg/dL, p=0.02). Additionally, two out of the three ultrasonographical markers of cardiovascular risk were also different between the groups: carotid distensibility (0.24±0.05 mmHg-1 versus 0.30±0.08 mmHg-1, p<0.01) and carotid intima-media thickness (0.52±0.08 mm versus 0.43±0.09, p<0.01). Besides, the metabolic syndrome ratio was higher in women with IR (nine cases=50% versus three cases=7.1%, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: POS and IR women present significant differences in several ultrasonographical, seric and anthropometric markers, which point out to higher cardiovascular risk, as compared to women without POS and IR. In face of that, the systematic IR evaluation in POS women may help to identify patients with cardiovascular risk.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2008;30(5):261-267
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032008000500009
The polycystic ovaries syndrome (POS) is a heterogeneous endocrinal disorder prevalent in 5 to 10% of women in reproductive age. In POS, there is an association with risk factors linked to the development of cardiovascular disease such as insulin resistance, dislipidemia, diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, endothelial dysfunction, central obesity, metabolic syndrome and chronic pro-inflammatory markers. Physical exercise practice together with nutritional guidance have been recommended as first rate strategies in the treatment of oligomenorrhea, hirsutism, infertility and obesity in POS women. This way, the objective of the present review was to analyze the specific role played by exercise and/or physical activity in changes of the body shape, in biochemical and hormonal plasmatic levels, and in the POS women’s reproductive function.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2008;30(4):201-209
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032008000400008
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) occurs in 6 to 10% of women during the reproductive age. Insulin resistance and compensatory hyperinsulinemia are currently two of the main factors involved in the etiopathogenesis of PCOS. The objective of the present review was to discuss the controversies related to the treatment of infertile women with PCOS and during their pregnancy, focusing on the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) current consensus.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2008;30(4):182-189
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032008000400005
PURPOSE: to evaluate the anthropometric measures as predictors of cardiovascular and metabolic risk in non-transmissible chronic diseases in postmenopausal women. METHODS: a clinical and sectional study enrolling 120 sedentary postmenopausal women (amenorrhea for at least 12 months, age 45 to 70 years was conducted). Exclusion criteria included insulin-dependent diabetes and use of statins or hormone therapy within the preceding six months. Anthropometric indicators included: weight, height, body mass index (BMI=weight/height²), and waist circumference (WC). Metabolic profiles as total cholesterol (TC), HDL, LDL, triglycerides (TG), glycemia, and insulin were measured and the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) and Homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were calculated. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Odds Ratio (OR) were used in the statistical analysis. RESULTS: subjects were classified on average as overweight and showed central fat distribution. Overweight and obesity were observed in 76% and abdominal obesity in 87.3% of the patients. On average, TC, LDL and TG levels were higher than recommended in 67.8, 55.9 and 45.8% of the women, respectively, and HDL was low in 40.7%. Values of WC >88 cm were observed in 14.8% of women with normal weight, 62.5% overweight and 100% obesity p>0.05). On average, the values of AIP, TG, and HOMA-IR increased significantly along with values of BMI and WC, while decreased HDL (p<0.05). Among women with WC >88 cm, a risk association was observed with low HDL (OR=5.86; 95%CI=2.31-14.82), with higher TG (OR=2.61; 95%CI=1.18-5.78), with higher AIP (OR=3.42; 95%CI=1.19-9.78) and with IR (OR=3.63; 95%CI=1.27-10.36). There was a risk of low HDL (OR=3.1; 95%CI=1.44-6.85) with increased obesity (BMI>30 kg/m²). CONCLUSIONS: in the postmenopausal women, the simple measure of WC can predict cardiovascular and metabolic risk of non-transmissible chronic diseases.