Hormonal Profile in Women with Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome – Is It Comparable to the Classic Syndrome?

Development of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) like phenotype in women with diabetes mellitus type 1 (DMt1) on intensified insulin treatment is related to the subcutaneous insulin administration and leads to clinical and biochemical hyperandrogenism. The aim of the study was to perform a comparative hormonal analysis of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in women with DMt1 and PCOS and women with classic PCOS without diabetes. 83 women were included - 21 with DMt1 and PCOS and 62 with PCOS only. Basal levels of: luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), testosterone (Т), sex hormone biding globulin (SHBG), dehydroepiadrostenedion sulfate (DHEA-S), Androstendion (А4), Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH), Prolactin (Prl), Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), LH/FSH, free androgen index (FAI), calculated free testosterone (cFT) и bioavailable testosterone (BioT) were calculated. Women with DMt1 and PCOS demonstrated significantly higher E2 levels (p=0.039), but lower DHEA-S (p=0.024) and prolactin (p=0.019) concentrations. No statistically significant differences were observed regarding LH (p=0.950), FSH (p=0.084), LH/FSH (р=0.531), SHBG (p=0.170), AMH (0.633), as well as androgen levels: Т (р=0.995), FAI (р=0.0420), cFT (p=0.361), BioT (p=0.199) and А4 (р=0.254). Women with DMt1 and PCOS had hormonal profile similar to the classic PCOS in terms of gonadotropin levels, ovarian androgens and AMH.