open access

Vol 73, No 3 (2022)
Review paper
Submitted: 2022-04-24
Accepted: 2022-04-24
Published online: 2022-05-21
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Therapy of obesity in women with PCOS using GLP-1 analogues — benefits and limitations [Terapia otyłości u kobiet z PCOS przy zastosowaniu analogów GLP-1 — korzyści i ograniczenia]

Agnieszka Baranowska-Bik1
·
Pubmed: 36059178
·
Endokrynol Pol 2022;73(3):627-643.
Affiliations
  1. Department of Endocrinology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education; Bielański Hospital, Warsaw, Poland

open access

Vol 73, No 3 (2022)
Review Article
Submitted: 2022-04-24
Accepted: 2022-04-24
Published online: 2022-05-21

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous endocrine disorder among women of reproductive age. The incidence ranges from approx. 6% to 20%. PCOS is characterized by a spectrum of symptoms and clinical features that includes ovarian dysfunction, clinical and/or biochemical hyperandrogenism, and ultrasound evidence of morphologically polycystic ovaries. Obesity is present in 40–70% of patients with the syndrome. Adiposity is involved in exacerbating the negative effects of insulin resistance, hyperinsulinaemia, and hyperandrogenaemia in the course of PCOS. Therefore, it is essential to maintain normal weight or effectively treat overweight/obesity in patients suffering from this endocrinopathy. Apart from diet and lifestyle interventions, an appropriate pharmacological or surgical treatment should be selected for the individual patient. Evidence-based data have unequivocally proven the validity of the use of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) analogues in the treatment of overweight/obese patients with PCOS. The result of the GLP-1 therapy is not only a reduction of body weight but also an improvement in insulin resistance and a decrease in hyperandrogenaemia. It also seems that this treatment method increases spontaneous and in-vitro pregnancy rates. Therefore, the GLP-1 treatment of obese PCOS women is a new therapeutic opportunity not only for weight loss but also for a wide range of benefits.

This review summarizes and discusses findings regarding obesity and its relation to hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance in PCOS, with special attention paid to the pharmacological treatment of adiposity with GLP-1 analogues.

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous endocrine disorder among women of reproductive age. The incidence ranges from approx. 6% to 20%. PCOS is characterized by a spectrum of symptoms and clinical features that includes ovarian dysfunction, clinical and/or biochemical hyperandrogenism, and ultrasound evidence of morphologically polycystic ovaries. Obesity is present in 40–70% of patients with the syndrome. Adiposity is involved in exacerbating the negative effects of insulin resistance, hyperinsulinaemia, and hyperandrogenaemia in the course of PCOS. Therefore, it is essential to maintain normal weight or effectively treat overweight/obesity in patients suffering from this endocrinopathy. Apart from diet and lifestyle interventions, an appropriate pharmacological or surgical treatment should be selected for the individual patient. Evidence-based data have unequivocally proven the validity of the use of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) analogues in the treatment of overweight/obese patients with PCOS. The result of the GLP-1 therapy is not only a reduction of body weight but also an improvement in insulin resistance and a decrease in hyperandrogenaemia. It also seems that this treatment method increases spontaneous and in-vitro pregnancy rates. Therefore, the GLP-1 treatment of obese PCOS women is a new therapeutic opportunity not only for weight loss but also for a wide range of benefits.

This review summarizes and discusses findings regarding obesity and its relation to hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance in PCOS, with special attention paid to the pharmacological treatment of adiposity with GLP-1 analogues.

Get Citation

Keywords

PCOS; obesity; insulin resistance; androgens; GLP-1 analogue

About this article
Title

Therapy of obesity in women with PCOS using GLP-1 analogues — benefits and limitations [Terapia otyłości u kobiet z PCOS przy zastosowaniu analogów GLP-1 — korzyści i ograniczenia]

Journal

Endokrynologia Polska

Issue

Vol 73, No 3 (2022)

Article type

Review paper

Pages

627-643

Published online

2022-05-21

Page views

5831

Article views/downloads

1791

DOI

10.5603/EP.a2022.0047

Pubmed

36059178

Bibliographic record

Endokrynol Pol 2022;73(3):627-643.

Keywords

PCOS
obesity
insulin resistance
androgens
GLP-1 analogue

Authors

Agnieszka Baranowska-Bik

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