Altered Thyroid Function amongst the Infertile Insulin Resistant Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder common among women of the child-bearing age. Likewise, women with PCOS are more likely to be obese or overweight, which may be due to their higher Insulin resistance and TSH levels.

Aim: The study's objectives were to assess the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism in infertile PCOS, distribution of insulin resistant in PCOS women with subclinical hypothyroidism, and the efficacy of Metformin treatment in these women.

Methods: It was a single-center study which included all infertile patients who visited the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at a Karachi hospital between January 2019 and September 2019. The infertile PCOS patients were then divided into two groups: Group A (Insulin Resistant with Subclinical Hypothyroidism) and Group B. (Non-Insulin Resistant with Subclinical Hypothyroidism). Following the written consent, both the treatment groups received Metformin 500mg T.D. for three months.

Results: The infertile PCOS patients showed a higher prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism. Insulin resistance was found to be 63.3% among subclinical hypothyroid PCOS women. Finally, three months of Metformin treatment resulted in a significant reduction in TSH levels in Insulin resistant PCOS women.

Conclusion: We identified a positive link between TSH levels and insulin resistance in PCOS women, both in terms of incidence and treatment.