Search

Ethnicity has not been accounted for in the diagnostic criteria for polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). It is increasingly recognised that ethnic differences are likely contributors to the differing manifestations of PCOS. Generally, rates of PCOS may be lower in East Asians. It is clear that East Asians are less hirsute than Caucasians. Hirsutism cut-off thresholds need to be lower in East Asian populations than in Caucasian populations. Despite population-adjusted scoring, Caucasians have higher hirsutism rates among patients diagnosed with PCOS. Rates of hyperandrogenaemia do not appear to differ among PCOS subjects, although serum androstenedione appeared to be higher in Caucasians in one study. Interestingly, higher prevalence of the polycystic ovarian morphology has been reported in East Asian PCOS populations than in Caucasian PCOS subjects. Hence, there is a need for comparative studies across different ethnicities to establish whether epidemiological differences observed reflect a true ethnic difference in the phenotype of PCOS and whether there is an Asian phenotype for PCOS., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objective: To evaluate potential changes that are independent of body size in the lipogenic adipokine acylation-stimulating protein (ASP), complement C3 (ASP precursor), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in subjects with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)., Design: Cross-sectional analysis., Setting: Endocrine clinic in China., Patient(s): Thirty-four women with PCOS and 41 age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls were recruited., Intervention(s): Fasting blood samples were collected., Main Outcome Measure(s): Plasma glucose, insulin, lipids, ASP, C3, CRP, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance were measured., Result(s): Plasma ASP, CRP, insulin, cholesterol, and nonesterified fatty acids were increased significantly in women with PCOS compared with in controls. Although each of these parameters also was statistically significantly correlated directly with BMI, the association with PCOS status was independent of BMI, with increased plasma values at all levels of BMI. In control subjects, CRP and C3 correlated with glucose and triglyceride, only CRP correlated with nonesterified fatty acids and cholesterol, and ASP correlated with triglyceride (again, all correlations were significant), whereas in subjects with PCOS, several of these correlations were lost, as a result of consistently higher levels of CRP and ASP regardless of BMI., Conclusion(s): Levels of ASP, CRP, and lipids are increased in subjects with PCOS, regardless of the level of BMI. The increased ASP level in both PCOS groups suggests that the ASP metabolism may be altered.