Significance of measuring anthropometric and atherogenic indices in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract

Abstract Background Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent hormonal disorder affecting 5–15% of women of reproductive age, characterized by ovulatory dysfunction, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovarian morphology. PCOS is associated with metabolic disturbances such as dyslipidemia, insulin resistance (IR), and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease. Objective The aim of this study is to apply new anthropometric indices [body adiposity index (BAI), visceral adiposity Index (VAI), lipid accumulation product (LAP), body roundness index (BRI), a body shape index (ABSI)] and new atherogenic indices [Castelli index-I, Castelli index-II, atherogenic risk of plasma (AIP), atherogenic coefficient (AC), lipoprotein combined index (LCI), triglycerides to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio, metabolic score for insulin resistance (METS-IR), triglyceride glucose (TyG) index, triglyceride glucose-dody mass (TyG-BMI) index, triglyceride glucose-waist circumference (TyG-WC) index] metabolic score of insulin resistance to patients with PCOS. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 248 women diagnosed with PCOS based on the 2003 Rotterdam criteria. Anthropometric measurements, biochemical parameters, and atherogenic indices were collected from patient records. Statistical analyses were performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software version 28.0. Results Significant correlations were found between fasting glucose and various anthropometric indices, such as Body mass index (BMI), waist-height ratio (WHtR), and BAI, indicating a link between adiposity and glucose metabolism in PCOS. Atherogenic indices like Castelli’s risk indices, AIP, and AC showed positive correlations with glucose and insulin levels, reinforcing their role in assessing cardiovascular risk. Novel indices such as METS-IR and TyG demonstrated strong correlations with both glucose and insulin profiles, highlighting their potential as reliable markers for IR and cardiometabolic risk. Conclusion The study underscores the importance of using a range of anthropometric and atherogenic indices for comprehensive metabolic assessment in women with PCOS. Indices like METS-IR and TyG offer valuable insights into insulin sensitivity and cardiovascular risk, potentially aiding in better management and prognosis of PCOS.

Keywords

• PCOS
• Insulin resistance
• Metabolic indices
• Atherogenic indices
• Cardiometabolic risk
• Anthropometry