The Joint Annual Scientific Meetings of the Endocrine Society of Australia and the Society for Reproductive Biology 2018

Brown adipose tissue thermogenesis in polycystic ovary syndrome (#122)

Soulmaz Dr Shorakae 1 2 , Eveline Dr Jona 1 , Barbora Dr De Courten 1 2 , Gavin Prof Lambert 3 4 , Lisabeth Dr Lambert 3 4 5 , Sarah Phillips 3 4 , Iain Prof Clarke 5 6 , Helena Prof Teede 1 2 , Belinda Dr Henry 5 7
  1. Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
  2. Diabetes and Vascular Medicine Unit, Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
  3. Human Neurotransmitters Laboratory, Baker IDI Hear and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  4. Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorne, Victoria, Australia
  5. Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
  6. Neuroscience Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
  7. Metabolic Disease and Obesity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia

Context. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with increased obesity with a greater propensity to weight gain and a lack of sustainable lifestyle interventions. Altered brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis is a potential contributor to obesity in PCOS. BAT activity and modulation has not been studied in PCOS.

Objective. This observational study explored BAT thermogenesis and its associations in women with and without PCOS.

Design. A cross sectional sub-study nested within a randomized control trial

Setting. Community recruitment

Patients or other participants. Pre-menopausal women with (n=47, Rotterdam diagnostic criteria) and without (n=11) PCOS

Intervention(s). None              

Main outcome measure(s). Cutaneous temperature recorded from supraclavicular (indicator of BAT activity) and upper arm regions using Dataloggers (SubCue, Calgary, Canada)

Results. Complete temperature data were available in 44 PCOS (mean age: 30.0±6.2, mean BMI: 29.3±5.5) and 11 non-PCOS (mean age: 33.0±7.0, mean BMI: 25±3) women. Women with PCOS had lower supraclavicular skin temperature compared to controls overall (33.9±0.7 vs 34.5±1, p < 0.05) and during sleep (34.5±0.6 vs 35.2±0.9, p < 0.001). In the PCOS group, supraclavicular skin temperature overall and over sleep and waking hours correlated inversely with testosterone (r= - 0.41 p <0.05, r= -0.485 p <0.01 and r= -0.450 p <0.01 respectively). Testosterone levels explained approximately 15%, 30% and 20% of the variability in supraclavicular skin temperature overall and over sleep and waking hours in women with PCOS, respectively.

Conclusion. Women with PCOS have lower BAT activity compared to controls. BAT thermogenesis is negatively associated with androgen levels in PCOS.