Relationship of body mass index and insulin resistance to degree of hirsutism in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Hyperandrogenism in the form of hirsutism is frequently encountered in women with PCOS. Little is known about what factors in the hormonal milieu of PCOS women determine expression of hirsutism. Androgen levels have not correlated well with degree of hirsutism; we set out to find if elevated BMI or insulin resistance altered the degree of hirsutism in the PCOS woman. Prospective cross-sectional analysis. All premenopausal women presenting with symptoms potentially related to androgen excess at a county reproductive endocrinology clinic between August 2009 and April 2012 were evaluated. Patients diagnosed with PCOS by the NIH 1990 criteria were offered participation in the study. Among 63 women enrolled, correlations between the degree of hirsutism using the modified Ferriman-Gallwey (mFG) score and BMI and the homeostasis model assessment to evaluate insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were made. HOMA-IR values were log transformed. BMI was negatively correlated to mFG by Pearson correlation (r=0.351, P