Insulin reduction with metformin increases luteal phase serum glycodelin and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 1 concentrations and enhancesuterine vascularity and blood flow in the polycystic ovary syndrome

We hypothesized that hyperinsulinemia contributes to early pregnancy loss i n the polycystic ovary syndrome by adversely affecting endometrial function and environment. Serum glycodelin, a putative biomarker of endometrial fun ction, is decreased in women with early pregnancy loss. Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 may also play an important role in pregnancy by f acilitating adhesion processes at the fete-maternal interface. We studied 48 women with polycystic ovary syndrome before and after 4 weeks of administration of 500 mg metformin (n = 26) or placebo (n = 22) 3 times daily. Oral glucose tolerance tests were performed, and serum glycodelin a nd insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 were measured during the fo llicular and clomiphene-induced luteal phases of menses. In the metformin group, the mean (+/-SE) area under the serum insulin curve after glucose administration decreased from 62 +/- 6 to 19 +/- 2 nmol/L.mi n (P < 0.001). Follicular phase serum glycodelin concentrations increased 2 0-fold from 150 +/- 46 to 2813 +/- 1192 pmol/L (P < 0.001), and serum insul in-like-growth factor-binding protein-1 concentrations increased from 936 /- 152 to 2396 +/- 300 pmol/L (P < 0.001). Similarly, luteal phase serum gl ycodelin concentrations increased 3-fold from 3434 +/- 1299 to 10624 +/- 18 03 pmol/L (P < 0.001), and serum insulin-like growth factor-binding protein -1 concentrations increased from 1220 +/- 136 to 4916 +/- 596 pmol/L (P < 0 .001). Uterine vascular penetration also increased in the metformin group, as did blood flow of spiral arteries, as demonstrated by a 20% decrease in the resistance index from 0.71 +/- 0.02 to 0.57 +/- 0.03 (P < 0.001). These variables did not change in the placebo group. We conclude that insulin reduction with metformin increases follicular and luteal phase serum glycodelin and insulin-like growth factor-binding protei n-1 concentrations and enhances luteal phase uterine vascularity and blood flow in the polycystic ovary syndrome. These changes may reflect an improve d endometrial milieu for the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy.