The use of the intravenous glucose tolerance test to evaluate nonobese hyperandrogenemic women

To better define the association of hyperandrogenemia and insulin resistance, we evaluated nonobese, nonacanthotic hyperandrogenemic women utilizing intravenous glucose tolerance tests (IVGTT). Six women (group 1) all of whom had elevated serum testosterone (T) and were <5% above their ideal body weight for height underwent IVGTTs. A control group (group 2, n = 5) with equivalent weight and height but normal levels of T were similarly tested. The T values (normal 0.1 to 0.6 ng/mL) in group 1 (0.93 ± 0.05 ng/mL, mean ± SEM) were significantly different from those in group 2 (0.34 ± 0.03 ng/mL). Area under the curve (AUC) was calculated for the glucose and insulin values. The glucose AUC for group 1 (15,000 ± 1,100) was not significantly different from the glucose AUC for group 2 (15,853 ± 788). Interestingly, the insulin AUC for group 1 (3,829 ± 583) was not significantly different from the insulin AUC for group 2 (2,987 ± 456). Within group 1, a correlation between serum T and insulin AUC could not be established. We conclude that in these nonobese, nonacanthotic hyperandrogenemic females, although individual variation exists, collectively a significantly increased insulin response to an IVGTT challenge cannot be demonstrated. This data further challenges the concept of androgens being etiologic in insulin resistance.