Key result
Adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome had a significantly higher prevalence of ultrasound-diagnosed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease compared to controls (22.7% vs. 6.1%, p = 0.046).
Why the study?
The burden of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome and its associations with insulin resistance, hyperandrogenism, and other metabolic characteristics needed assessment.
Does polycystic ovary syndrome increase the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in adolescent girls compared to controls?
Case-Control (n=87)
Does polycystic ovary syndrome increase the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in adolescent girls compared to controls?
Adolescent girls with PCOS have a significantly higher prevalence of NAFLD compared to healthy controls, an association strongly linked to insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Supports considering NAFLD screening in adolescents with PCOS; leaves open whether this warrants routine practice changes.
The aim of this case–control study was to assess the burden of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and its associations with insulin resistance, hyperandrogenism, and other metabolic characteristics of the syndrome. A total of 87 Caucasian adolescent girls (47 with PCOS and 40 controls), aged 12.3–20.4 years, underwent blood sampling for glucose metabolism, hormonal and lipid profile, gynecological and liver ultrasound, and liver elastography. Indices of insulin resistance, liver steatosis, and liver fibrosis were calculated. NAFLD diagnosed by ultrasound was more prevalent in adolescents with PCOS than controls (22.7% vs. 6.1%, p = 0.046), and was also verified by liver steatosis indices. The latter was not apparent for hepatic fibrosis, as assessed by Fibroscan® and calculated indices. The homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was found to predict NAFLD diagnosis by the liver fat score (LFS) index (β = 0.709, p = 0.002). Adolescents with PCOS and high free androgen index (FAI) presented worse NAFLD than those adolescents with PCOS and lower FAI. In addition, adolescents with PCOS and concurrent NAFLD had worse insulin sensitivity indices (HOMA-IR, QUICKI, and glucose to insulin ratio) than adolescents with PCOS alone. Adolescent insulin resistance could be considered a confounder of the association between PCOS and NAFLD.
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Giannouli et al. (2023) conducted a case-control in Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (n=87). Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) vs. Controls (without PCOS) was evaluated on NAFLD diagnosed by ultrasound (p=0.046). Adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome had a significantly higher prevalence of ultrasound-diagnosed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease compared to controls (22.7% vs. 6.1%, p = 0.046).
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