This protocol attempts to determine the prevalence of insulin resistance, as measured by the acute insulin tolerance test (IT) in a consecutive population of patients with hyperandrogenic oligo-ovulation. Furthermore, we mean to establish the normal range for the ITT response in healthy women. To date, we have studied 45 consecutive hyperandrogenic women and 15 consecutive controls. Approximately 50% of our hyperandrogenic oligo- ovulatory patients have demonstrated decreased insulin sensitivity (i.e. insulin resistance), when comparing the results to published standards. Since we have not completed our recruitment of healthy controls, we have not yet been able to establish normal ranges for the ITT response in our poulation. Nonetheless, it appears that gross evidence of decreased insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance is associated with this disorder in a large proportion of these women. This, in turn, may be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension and lipid abnormalilties.
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