How much insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome? Comparison of HOMA-IR and insulin resistance (Belfiore) index models

Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the commonest endocrinopathy of women in reproductive age, is often accompanied by insulin resistance (IR), hirsutism and/or fertility problems. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of IR in women diagnosed with PCOS. Material and methods: The study involved 137 women diagnosed with PCOS, according to the Rotterdam consensus criteria (2003). Insulin resistance was assessed according to the HOMA-IR method and insulin resistance (Belfiore) index (IRI) derived from glucose and insulin during the oral glucose tolerance test. Results: There was a significant (p 3.8), but the majority of patients with raised IRI would not be diagnosed as insulin resistant according to HOMA (61.7% and 73.5%, for HOMA-IR3.46 and HOMA-IR3.80, respectively). Conclusions: The insulin resistance (Belfiore) index indicates more cases of insulin resistance than HOMA-IR in women with PCOS. Therefore, detection of insulin resistance among women with PCOS is highly method-dependent with more severe cases being detected with HOMA-IR than with IRI.