Effects of metformin on serum insulin and anti-mullerian hormone levels and on hyperandrogenism in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between serum anti-mullerian hormone levels (AMH) and insulin resistance (IR) before and after meformin treatment and to compare AMH levels of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) women in the early follicular phase. Methods: Twenty PCOS women with IR, taking metformin 1500 mg/day for 8 weeks, and 16 non-PCOS controls were enrolled in this longitudinal study. Serum levels of AMH, insulin, glucose, testosterone, and quantitative insulin check index (QUICKI), were assessed before and after treatment in PCOS group. Results: AMH levels were higher in untreated PCOS (p < 0.0001), as were luteinizing hormone (LH) (p = 0.0004), testosterone (p = 0.0017) as well as 17-hydroxyprogesterone (p = 0.03). PCOS women show positive correlation between AMH and testosterone (R = 0.83; p < 0.0001) only prior to treatment. Metformin treatment, lead to a significant decrease in serum insulin (p = 0.0132) and testosterone (p = 0.0017) levels. However, no alteration in AMH levels was observed after treatment. Conclusion: Despite the improvement of metabolic parameters and the reduction of androgen levels, AMH levels did not change after metformin treatment. Maybe, the dose, and possibly the time of use, of metformin are factors associated with the reduction of AMH levels.

Keywords::

• Anti-mullerian hormone
• PCOS
• hyperandrogenism
• insulin resistance

Declaration of Interest: The authors report no declaration of interest.

Notice of Correction

The version of this article published online ahead of print on 30 Nov 2012 contained an error on page 1. The corresponding author is not “Lucia Alves Silva Lara, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo University, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, 14049–900 Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected]” and should have read “Rosana Maria Reis, Sector of Human Reproduction, Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo University, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected]”. The error has been corrected for this version.