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. 2021 Mar 14;18(6):2977.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18062977.

Body Composition and Characterization of Skinfold Thicknesses from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Phenotypes. A Preliminar Case-Control Study

María L Sánchez-Ferrer  1   2 , Ernesto De La Cruz-Sánchez  3 , Julián J Arense-Gonzalo  2   4 , María T Prieto-Sánchez  1   2 , Itziar Bernabeu-González  1 , Ana Carmona-Barnosi  1 , Jaime Mendiola  4   5 , Alberto M Torres-Cantero  2   4   5   6
Affiliations

Body Composition and Characterization of Skinfold Thicknesses from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Phenotypes. A Preliminar Case-Control Study

María L Sánchez-Ferrer et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

To describe whether polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) phenotypes vary in their body composition and skinfold (SKF) thicknesses and if they differ from women without PCOS, a preiminar case-control study was performed. A total of 117 cases were diagnosed using the Rotterdam criteria. Gynecological examinations and transvaginal ultrasound were performed in all women (266 women). Anthropometric measurements including SKF thickness were taken according to the restricted profile protocol of the international standards for the anthropometric evaluation according to the International Society of the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK). Women with PCOS had higher body mass index and percentage of fat mass with respect to controls. The endomorphy component was also significantly higher in women with PCOS than in controls. Each PCOS phenotype displayed a different representation in the somatochart respect to the others phenotypes and also compared to controls. Women with PCOS had significantly higher ∑7 SKF (p = 0.013), ∑appendicular SKF (p = 0.017) and ∑arm SKF (p = 0.019) than controls. H-O-POM phenotype had higher 7∑ SKF (p = 0.003), ∑appendicular SKF (p = 0.01), ∑arm SKF (0.005), ∑leg SKF, and ∑trunk SKF (0.008) and also a higher fast mass percentage than controls (p = 0.011). In conclusion, body composition evaluated by ISAK protocol is different in women with PCOS, especially in the complete phenotype (H-O-POM). This could have relevant implications in terms of clinical evaluation and follow-up of these women, although more researches in this field are needed.

Keywords: ISAK; anthropometry; polycystic ovary syndrome; somatochart; somatotype.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram of numbers of women at each stage of study.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Differences in skinfold measurements between control and PCOS subjects. An ANCOVA was used to assess differences among the groups (p < 0.05 two tailed). p-value adjusted by Age and Body Mass lndex. Phenotypic: Hyperandrogenism [H]; oligo/amenorrhoea [O]; polycystic ovarian morphology [POM]. Anthropometric: ∑7SKF (mm). Sum of seven skinfolds [triceps + subscapular + biceps + suprailiac + abdominal + thigh + Meanl calf (mm)]; ∑Appendicular SKF (mm). Sum of appendicular skinfolds [triceps + biceps + thigh + Meanl calf (mm); ∑Arm SKF (mm). Sum of arm skinfolds [triceps + biceps (mm)]; ∑Leg SKF (mm). Sum of leg skinfolds [thigh + mean calf (mm)]; ∑Trunk SKF (mm). Sum of trunk skinfolds [subscapular + suprailiac + abdominal (mm)].
Figure 3
Figure 3
Differences in fat mass and fat-free mass (lean mass + bone mass) between control and PCOS subjects. An ANCOVA was used to assess differences among the groups (p < 0.05 two tailed). p-value adjusted by Age and Body Mass lndex. Phenotypic: Hyperandrogenism [H]; oligo/amenorrhoea [O]; polycystic ovarian morphology [POM].
Figure 4
Figure 4
Somatotype distribution (endomorph, mesomorph, ectomorph) seen in this study. Phenotypic: hyperandrogenism [H]; oligo/amenorrhoea [O]; polycystic ovarian morphology [POM]. Body shape types from Hudson et al. [39].
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