Inflammation and Insulin Resistance in a Group of Sub-Saharan African Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Figures & data

Table 1 Clinical Characteristics and Insulin Resistance Parameters of Participants

	PCOS (n=32)*	Controls (n=32)*	p-value
Age (years)	26.69±4.69	27.09±4.98	0.74
BMI (Kg/m^2)	28.94±7.78	28.29±6.96	0.72
WHR	0.93±0.12	0.82±0.09	<0.001
SBP (mmHg)	118.31±11.78	117.75±11.53	0.85
DBP (mmHg)	77.19±10.37	79.13±8.35	0.41
Glycemia (mmol/L)	5.27±1.05	5.35±0.94	0.76
C peptide (mUI/L))	4.98±3.83	3.25±1.62	0.02
HOMA-IR	1.15±0.90	0.77±0.38	0.03

Notes: *Data are presented as Mean±SD; text in bold represents significant values.

Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; WHR, waist-to-hip ratio; SBP, systolic blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; HOMA-IR, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance.

Table 2 Inflammatory Markers and Insulin Resistance According to BMI

	Normal*	Overweight*	Obese*	p-value
PCOS
HsCRP (mg/L)	0.52 [0.22–3.13]	0.80 [0.30–2.93]	2.63 [0.35–4.26]	0.53
IL6 (pg/mL)	5.48 [2.35–9.79]	8.61 [3.71–20.00]	32.94 [7.04–55.74]	0.19
HOMA-IR	0.55 [0.38–0.65]	0.98 [0.67–1.79]	1.12 [0.52–2.48]	0.06
Controls
HsCRP (mg/L)	0.16 [0.10–0.53]	0.52 [0.27–0.99]	1.05 [0.42–1.40]	0.03
IL6 (pg/mL)	4.69 [2.94–9.59]	10.77 [5.77–40.12]	34.62 [9.39–57.43]	0.02
HOMA-IR	0.71 [0.30–1.15]	0.91 [0.56–1.08]	0.64 [0.37–0.88]	0.62

Notes: * Data are presented as median [25th–75th percentile]; text in bold represents significant values.

Abbreviations: HsCRP, high sensitivity C reactive protein; IL6, interleukin 6; HOMA-IR, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance.

Table 3 Correlation between Inflammatory Markers and HOMA-IR Index in Both Groups

	Spearman Correlation (r)	p-value
HsCRP
PCOS	0.10	0.62
Controls	0.12	0.55
IL6
PCOS	−0.14	0.49
Controls	0.16	0.43

Abbreviations: HsCRP, high sensitivity C reactive protein; IL6, interleukin 6.

Table 4 Association between Clinical and Biological Characteristics of Women with PCOS and the hsCRP Level

Variables (n=26)	HsCRP		OR (95% IC)	P-value
	High	Low
Age (years)
<25	7 (53.8)	6 (46.2)	1.3 (0.29–6.36)	0.69
≥25	6 (46.2)	7 (53.8)
BMI
Obese	4 (57.1)	3 (42.9)	1.48 (0.25–8.49)	1
Non-obese	9 (47.4)	10 (52.6)
WHR
˃0.80	11 (52.4)	10 (47.6)	0.65 (0.22–11.99)	1
≤0.80	2 (40.0)	3 (60.0)
Hyperandrogenism
Yes	10 (52.6)	9 (47.4)	1.48 (0.26–8.50)	1
No	3 (42.9)	4 (57.1)
HOMA-IR
≥0.72	8 (57.1)	6 (42.9)	1.86 (0.39–8.89)	0.69
<0.72	5 (41.7)	7 (58.3)

Abbreviations: HsCRP, high sensitivity C reactive protein; OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval; BMI, body mass index; WHR, waist-to-hip ratio; HOMA-IR, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance.