Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate/free androgen index ratio predicts a favorable metabolic profile in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome

• Published in: Gynecological endocrinology Vol. 35; no. 2; pp. 128 - 132
• Main Authors: Nadir, Ahmet, Temizkan, Sule, Ozderya, Aysenur, Temizkan, Osman, Orbay, Ekrem, Aydin, Kadriye
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 01-02-2019
• Subjects: dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS); free androgen index (FAI); high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C); Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); triglyceride (TG); free androgen index (FAI); dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS); Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C); triglyceride (TG)
• ISSN: 0951-3590; 1473-0766
• DOI: 10.1080/09513590.2018.1505843

Potential effect of hyperandrogenemia on metabolic disturbances in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has always been a matter of interest. We analyzed the records of 125 patients with PCOS and 54 age-matched healthy women. All participants underwent biochemical and hormonal assessment and a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test was performed. PCOS and control groups were comparable in terms of age. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate/free androgen index (DHEAS/FAI) ratio was negatively correlated with body mass index (BMI) (p < .001), fasting glucose (p = .02), area under the curve (AUC) of glucose (p = .03), AUC of insulin (p = .001), homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (p < .001), and triglycerides (TG) (p = .009), and positively correlated with insulin sensitivity index (ISI) (p < .001) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (p < .001) among PCOS patients. In logistic regression analysis, higher DHEAS/FAI ratio levels were associated with lower risk of low HDL-C [RR(95%CI); 0.97(0.95-0.98); p < .001] as well as atherogenic dyslipidemia (TG/HDL-C) [RR(95%CI); 0.97(0.94-0.99); p = .035] even after adjustment for BMI in the PCOS group. Androgens, DHEAS and FAI act differently on metabolic parameters. Our results demonstrate that high DHEA-S/FAI ratio levels are associated with a more favorable metabolic profile.