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| |  ENDO: Diabetic Drug, Rosiglitazone, Treats Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Symptoms By Mike Fillon
NEW ORLEANS, LA -- June 22, 2004 -- Rosiglitazone, an insulin sensitizer that is used to treat diabetics, increases ovulation and decreases insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), according to researchers. Lead author, Nicholas Cataldo, MD, presented study findings in a poster presentation here at the 86th Annual Meeting of The Endocrine Society (ENDO). Dr. Cataldo, is an adjunct clinical instructor of obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States. It is estimated that 5% to 10% of women of reproductive age have PCOS. Symptoms of this condition, which increases a woman's risk for developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease, include excess hair growth, irregular menstruation and central body obesity. The researchers found that after the treatment with rosiglitazone, the subjects ovulated more frequently and experienced improved insulin resistance, which is also associated with this disorder. During the study, 42 women with both PCOS and insulin resistance randomly received 3 doses of rosiglitazone (2 mg, 4 mg, and 8 mg) for 12 weeks. Dr. Cataldo said that the researchers ''hypothesized that it would work the same as the older insulin sensitizers.'' They found that more than half of the women ovulated while taking rosiglitazone. Specifically, ovulation occurring between 4 and 12 weeks was confirmed in 6 of 15 women on 2 mg, 6 of 11 on 4 mg, and 11 of 16 on 8 mg. Insulin resistance, as measured by an index called SSPG, fell by 28% for women on the highest dose (8 mg). Androgen levels fell in some, but not all, of the women who ovulated. Small, favorable effects on cholesterol levels were also noted. Dr. Cataldo pointed out that one benefit of this treatment is that it can be taken by both women who are trying to become pregnant and women who are not. He explained, however, that the drug does not consistently lower testosterone levels like other insulin sensitizers have been shown to do, so it might not be the ideal treatment for women with high levels of this hormone. "These promising findings indicate that rosiglitazones may be an effective, off-label treatment for PCOS," said Dr. Catalso. "Other studies have also found that the glitazone class of drugs, which includes rosiglitazone, are effective in reducing the development of diabetes and atherosclerosis. Future studies are needed to determine whether these benefits can be achieved in women with PCOS." Because Dr. Cataldo's study focused on PCOS patients with insulin resistance, he noted that future studies should address whether this drug can be helpful to other women with PCOS. He said data is also needed on the safety of the drug during early pregnancy.
[Presentation Title: Prediction of Ovulatory Response to Rosiglitazone in Insulin-Resistant Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Abstract # OR31-3]
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