The high-molecular weight multimer form of adiponectin is a useful marker of polycystic ovary syndrome in Bahraini Arab women

• Total and high molecular weight HMW-adiponectin are independent predictors of PCOS.
• PCOS women had reduced HMW-adiponectin, and HMWR, but not total adiponectin.
• HMW-adiponectin and HMWR correlated with age, BMI, hirsutism, insulin, HOMA-IR.
• Reduction in adiponectin secretion is an independent risk factor for PCOS.

SummaryBackground & aimsWe tested if decreased total and high molecular weight (HMW)-adiponectin, and altered HMW/total adiponectin ratio (HMWR) constitute reliable markers of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) among Bahraini Arab women.MethodsCase–control study involving 122 Bahraini Arab women with PCOS and 89 ethnically-matched control women. PCOS was evaluated according to 2003 Rotterdam criteria. Total and HMW-adiponectin were measured by ELISA.ResultsCompared to controls, women with PCOS had significantly reduced plasma HMW-adiponectin, and HMWR, more so than total adiponectin. Logistic regression analysis revealed that HMW-adiponectin and HMWR, more than total adiponectin, were negatively associated with PCOS. ROC area-under-the-curve for predicting PCOS were larger for HMW-adiponectin (0.679 ± 0.037), and HMWR (0.653 ± 0.039), than total adiponectin (0.537 ± 0.041). Regression analysis confirmed the association of low HMW-adiponectin and HMWR with PCOS. HMW-adiponectin and HMWR inversely correlated with age, BMI, hirsutism, insulin, HOMA-IR, and positively correlated with serum LDL-cholesterol. Total adiponectin was negatively correlated with waist–hip ratio and serum LH levels.ConclusionsReduction in adiponectin plasma levels is an independent risk factor for PCOS. Changes in HMW-adiponectin serum levels and HMW/total adiponectin ratio are better markers for the presence of PCOS, when compared with total adiponectin.