AbstractBackground and Aims. Most women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) are thought to have an abdominal body fat distribution, regardless of body mass index (BMI). The objective of our research was to compare body fat distribution between PCOS cases and BMI/age matched healthy control women. Materials and Methods. We compared 102 women with PCOS and 120 healthy female patients matched for age and BMI (retrospective review of the medical records). Visceral fat area (VFA) was measured by bioelectric impedance. Results. No significant differences were noted between the PCOS group and controls regarding total cholesterol, LDLcholesterol and triglycerides levels. Mean HDL-cholesterol concentration was significantly lower in the PCOS group (p=0.03). Mean fasting serum insulin and calculated HOMA-IR were higher in the PCOS group (14.2±7.2 vs. 9.1±4.1μU/mL, p<0.001, and 3.1±1.8 vs. 2.3±1.1, p=0.01 respectively). VFA was similar in patients with PCOS and in the control group. Conclusions. Obese women with PCOS have no preponderant accumulation of visceral fat, compared with weight/age-matched controls. Our data suggest that the distribution of fat to visceral depots is unlikely to be the entire explanation for the metabolic abnormalities observed in women with PCOS.
Body fat distribution and leptin correlation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: Endocrine and biochemical evaluation in south Indian population