BIMODAL CORRELATION BETWEEN THE CIRCULATING INSULIN LEVEL AND THE PRODUCTION-RATE OF DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE - POSITIVE CORRELATION IN CONTROLS AND NEGATIVE CORRELATION IN THE POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME WITH ACANTHOSIS NIGRICANS

The objective of this study was to define the relationship among the circulating insulin level (IRI), the Mc R of dehydroepiandrosterone (Mc R-D), and the production rate of DHEA (PR-D) in 10 women with the polycystic ovary syndrome and acanthosis nigricans (PCOS-AN). Seven normal weight and 10 obese women served as controls. Measurement of the Mc R-D and PR-D was accomplished by iv saline infusion (0.9% NaCl solution) on day 1 as a control and a 4-h iv dehydroepiandrosterone (unlabeled) infusion (1 mg/h) was performed on day 2. Mean Mc R-D was more than 2-fold higher in the obese controls compared to the normal weight controls. However, the plasma concentration of DHEA(PC-D) was not significantly different in the normal and obese control women, since the PR-D was increased proportionately to the Mc R-D. The Mc R-D and the PR-D were coupled through insulin in the control women, and their correlation coefficients with IRI were positive and identical (0.77 and 0.73, respectively). In contrast, IRI was negatively correlated with PR-D in the PCOS-AN women. Also, unlike the control women, there was minimal or no change in the Mc R-D across a broad range of IRI in the PCOS-AN women. Thus, the Mc R-D and PR-D were not coupled in these women. © 1990 by The Endocrine Society.