Insulin resistance in oligomenorrheic infertile women with non-polycystic ovary syndrome

Objective To determine whether infertile oligomenorrheic women are insulin resistant, using an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Design Retrospective study. Setting National Center for Child Health and Development. Patient(s) One hundred twenty-seven infertile women with oligomenorrhea (oligomenorrheal group) and 177 infertile eumenorrheic women (normal menstrual group) were recruited. Intervention(s) All women underwent an OGTT (75 g glucose). Main Outcome Measure(s) A homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), area under the curve (AUC) of insulin after the glucose load, and plasma insulin level at 120 minutes after glucose loading (IRI 120) were used as an index of insulin resistance. Result(s) The prevalence of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR ≥1.73) among oligomenorrheic women was 23.8%, which was significantly higher than that of eumenorrheic women, at 14.1%. The glucose AUCs (mean ± SE) in the oligomenorrheal group (13,609 ± 259 mg/min/dL) were similar to those for the normal menstrual groups (13,054 ± 196 mg/min/dL), but the insulin AUCs of the oligomenorrheal group (5333 ± 376 mU·min/L) were significantly higher than those of the normal menstrual groups (4517 ± 266 mU·min/L). Conclusion(s) The prevalence of insulin resistance assessed using an OGTT was significantly higher among infertile oligomenorrheic women with non-polycystic ovary syndrome than it was among women with normal menstrual cycles.