Insulin Resistance and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

The document from 2005 explores the connection between insulin resistance and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a condition affecting 5-10% of women of reproductive age. It discusses how hyperinsulinemia may stimulate excess ovarian androgen production, leading to PCOS symptoms and increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Treatments like antiandrogens and insulin sensitizers such as metformin and thiazolidinediones were shown to be effective in reversing metabolic and ovarian abnormalities. The document also notes the importance of early detection and treatment of PCOS, especially in adolescents, and highlights a study by Dunaif et al. involving 21 subjects with PCOS treated with troglitazone, which improved insulin sensitivity and ameliorated hyperandrogenism. However, it emphasizes the need for further research with safe insulin sensitizers to normalize insulin sensitivity and ovarian function in young women and adolescents.