Could “a body shape index” and “waist to height ratio” predict insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in polycystic ovary syndrome?

ObjectiveTo investigate whether a body shape index (ABSI) and waist to height ratio (WHtR) could predict insulin resistance (IR) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) compared to healthy women.Study designIn a population-based study a cohort of 754 reproductive-aged women including 704 eumenorrheic non-hirsute subjects and 50 PCOS women selected according to the national institutes of health’s (NIH) criteria. The ability of ABSI and WHtR for the prediction of IR was estimated by the homeostasis model and metabolic syndrome according to the joint interim statement criteria.ResultsAge and BMI adjusted prevalence of IR and MetS in PCOS women vs. healthy controls were 34% vs. 26%, P = 0.041 and 15% vs. 14%, P = 0.917, respectively. Mean (SD) of ABSI in PCOS women and healthy women were 0.76 (0.05) and 0.76 (0.053), respectively (P = 0.363). The area under curve (CI 95%) of WHtR for predicting IR and MetS among PCOS women vs. healthy women were 0.751 (0.60–0.89) vs. 0.69 (0.65–0.73) and 0.902 (0.81–0.98) vs. 0.802 (0.76–0.83), respectively. As such, the area under curve (CI 95%) of ABSI for ROC curve analysis for predicting IR and MetS among PCOS women vs. healthy women were 0.482 (0.31–0.64) vs. 0.537 (0.49–0.58) and 0.538 (0.35–0.72) vs. 0.584 (0.60–0.69), respectively.ConclusionsThese findings suggested that WHtR but not ABSI were a good predictor of IR and MetS among PCOS and healthy women. WHtR may be proposed as a screening tool for IR and MetS risk assessment among PCOS women as a sensitive, inexpensive, noninvasive, simple to assess and easy to calculate measurement tools.