Cardiometabolic risk factors in women with non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia

Abstract

Background: No previous study has investigated cardiometabolic risk factors in untreated patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH).

Methods: The study population consisted of 14 premenopausal women with previously untreated non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (NC-CAH) and 20 matched healthy women. Apart from 17-hydroxyprogesterone and androgen levels, the outcomes of interest were glucose homeostasis markers, plasma lipids, plasma levels of uric acid, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, homocysteine and 25-hydroxyvitamin D, as well as urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR).

Results: As expected, women with NC-CAH were characterised by higher levels of 17-hydroxyprogesterone and were more insulin-resistant than control women. The mean values of C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, homocysteine and UACR were higher while 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were lower in subjects with NC-CAH. The investigated cardiometabolic risk factors correlated with androgen levels and insulin sensitivity.

Conclusions: The obtained results suggest that the occurrence of NC-CAH in premenopausal women may increase cardiometabolic risk.

Keywords:

• Adrenal cortex
• congenital adrenal hyperplasia
• hormones
• risk factors

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.