4 SUCCESS OF METFORMIN-PIOGLITAZONE IN RESOLVING ENDOCRINOPATHY AND INSULIN RESISTANCE-HYPERINSULINEMIA IN 40 WOMEN WITH POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME NOT OPTIMALLY RESPONSIVE TO METFORMIN ALONE.

In 40 women (36 white, 1 black, 3 other) with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) not optimally responsive to metformin (MET 2.55 g/day) for 1 year, endocrine and menstrual response to MET (2.55 g) with added pioglitazone (PIO 45 mg/day) for 1 year were compared to outcomes on MET alone. Before MET, 35% of women were obese with BMI 30.0 to 2 . After 1 year on MET weight fell (104 ± 28 kg, p = .01) but increased on MET-PIO (106 ± 29 kg, p = .03). On MET for 1 year, median DHEAS fell nonsignificantly ( p = .75) from median 224 to 201 μg/dL but then fell to 169 μg/dL on MET-PIO ( p = .03). Median sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) was 25 nmol/L before MET, 20 on MET ( p > .1), and rose to 27 on MET-PIO ( p 0.1), but then fell to 13.1 μU/mL on MET-PIO ( p .1), but then fell to 2.74 on MET-PIO ( p .1), but then fell to 159 on MET-PIO ( p .1), rose to 44 mg/dL on MET-PIO ( p