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Abstract
Studies comparing serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in women with and without
PCOS have produced inconsistent results. Additionally, no previous studies have evaluated
associations between vitamin D and specific PCOS phenotypes. This case-control study
was conducted among women undergoing intrauterine insemination. Cases (n=137) were
diagnosed with PCOS and then further classified into 3 diagnostic phenotypes based
on combinations of the Rotterdam criteria [ovulatory dysfunction +polycystic ovaries
(n=55); ovulatory dysfunction +androgen excess (n=15); and ovulatory dysfunction,
+polycystic ovaries, +androgen excess (n=67)]. Controls (n=103) were ovulatory women
without PCOS who were undergoing IUI. Serum total 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations
were categorized as deficient (≤20 ng/ml), insufficient (21–29 ng/ml), and sufficient
(≥30 ng/ml). Prevalence odds ratios (PORs) were calculated using logistic regression.
A higher proportion (59.9%) of PCOS cases lacked sufficient vitamin D levels compared
to controls (47.6%; p-value=0.06). The odds of vitamin D deficiency in all PCOS cases
were twice that of controls (POR=2.03, 95% CI 0.97–4.26); however, the association
was attenuated after adjusting for body mass index (BMI) and race/ethnicity ( adj
POR=1.43, 95% CI 0.62, 3.26). When examining PCOS phenotypes exhibiting androgen excess,
crude associations were observed for deficient vitamin D levels ( unadj POR=2.93,
95% CI: 1.27, 6.77); however, the association decreased after adjustment for BMI and
race/ethnicity ( adj POR=2.03, 95% CI: 0.79, 5.19). Vitamin D deficiency occurred
more frequently in PCOS cases with androgen excess, but associations were attenuated
after adjusting for BMI and race/ethnicity. Combining etiologically distinct PCOS
subgroups may obscure associations with lower vitamin D levels and other potential
risk factors.
To investigate the correlation between insulin resistance (IR) and serum 25-OH-Vit D concentrations and hormonal parameters in lean women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).