Is insulin resistance an essential component of PCOS?: The influence of confounding factors (original) (raw)

Insulin resistance is often considered a regular component of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Many interventional studies assume a state of insulin resistance in all patients. However, the evidence is based on small samples that are often insuf®cient to adjust for signi®cant confounding factors. Moreover, several studies have not con®rmed differences in insulin sensitivity between women with PCOS and healthy controls, especially in non-obese patients. This debate article provides an overview of the data published regarding the presence of abnormal or normal insulin sensitivity in PCOS. In conclusion, available data offer evidence that a substantial subgroup of women with PCOS have insulin sensitivity comparable with healthy controls if matched carefully for potential confounding factors.