Association between Overweight/Obesity, Serum Gonadotropin and Androgen Levels among Egyptian Pubertal Girls

Background: Previous studies have suggested an association between adiposity and elevated androgen in late pubertal girls.

Objective: Evaluate the association between overweight /obesity, serum gonadotropin and androgen levels among Egyptian pubertal girls.

Subjects and Methods: It was a cross-sectional one, carried out in the Obesity Clinic of the Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolism Pediatric Unit (DEMPU), Pediatric Hospital, Cairo University. It included 40 overweight and obese girls and 40 age-matching normal weight (control) girls, aged 12 -18 years. Anthropometric assessment (weight, height, hip and waist circumferences) was recorded, and waist/hip and BMI were calculated. Laboratory investigations: lipid profile. (TG, TC, HDL, LDL), serum gonadotropin (LH, FSH), androgen (free and total testosterone), estradiol, insulin, HbA1c, and fasting blood sugar were measured .Insulin resistance (IR) was calculated.

Results: Hypogonadotropins (FSH and LH) and hyperandrogenaemia (total and free testosterone) were significantly prominent among obese girls. Correlation between gonadotropin (FSH and LH), androgen (Total Testosterone and free Testosterone) and all the studied variables for the 3 groups under study (obese, overweight, control) revealed constant relations. Gonadotropin and androgens had opposing correlations. Gonadotropin had significant negative correlations, and androgens had significant positive correlations with the anthropometric obesity markers (BMI, Waist C, and W/H ratio), HbA1c, insulin, insulin resistance and lipid profile (triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL). In addition, Gonadotropin had significant positive correlations, and androgens had significant negative correlations with estradiol and HDL, and insignificant correlation with age.

Conclusion: Overweight and obesity had no effect on the correlations between gonadotropin and androgen in one side and the anthropometric measurements and laboratory investigations on the other side. The changes in androgen levels were earlier than in gonadotropin among the overweight and obese children.