Hyperinsulinemia in polycystic ovary disease.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary disease (PCOD). STUDY DESIGN: Forty women with clinical and biochemical evidence of PCOD and 20 with regular menstrual cycles were studied prospectively. All women underwent a three-hour oral glucose tolerance test following a 100-g glucose load. Plasma sugar and insulin levels were measured. RESULTS: The one-, two- and three-hour insulin values were significantly higher in women with PCOD. The sum insulin, cumulative insulin, peak insulin and area under the insulin response curve were similarly higher in women with PCOD than in the controls. The presence of hirsutism was more often associated with hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance, but body mass index and menstrual irregularity were not. CONCLUSION: Hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance seem to be commonly associated with PCOD.