Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Adiponectin, an abundant adipokine with insulin-sensitizing properties, exists in different multimeric forms, including low-molecular weight, medium-molecular weight, and high-molecular weight (HMW) species. Alterations in the distribution of adiponectin multimers and the relationship between adiponectin multimers and insulin resistance (IR) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) remain unclear. The objective of this study was to compare adiponectin multimerization status and estimate insulin sensitivity in Chinese women with PCOS compared with age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls. METHODS: Cross-sectional study involving 64 Chinese women with PCOS and 59 normal women. Circulating total adiponectin and its multimeric forms were determined by ELISA, and IR was estimated using the homeostasis model assessment IR index (HOMA-IR). RESULTS: After controlling for BMI status, levels of both total and HMW adiponectin were significantly lower in women with PCOS compared with normal women (P<0.05). Furthermore, HMW adiponectin provided a stronger contribution to models predicting IR than total adiponectin. Lastly, decreased HMW adiponectin was associated with increased HOMA-IR in both normal and PCOS women, and this association was independent of both overall adiposity and visceral adiposity. CONCLUSION: Levels of both total and HMW adiponectin were decreased in Chinese women with PCOS compared with normal control women, and the differences in HMW adiponectin persisted after controlling for BMI. Furthermore, HMW adiponectin is a stronger predictor of IR than total adiponectin in both women with PCOS and normal women.