Apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A1 ratio is a good predictive marker of metabolic syndrome and pre-metabolic syndrome in Chinese adolescent women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Aim: The apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A1 (ApoB/ApoA1) ratio is well known to be related to metabolic syndrome (MS) and its components in adults of different races. There is low prevalence of MS but high occurrence of various metabolic disorders in Chinese adolescent women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). We sought to assess if the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio can be used as a predictive marker of MS and pre-MS in Chinese adolescent women with PCOS. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 160 Chinese adolescent women. Based on International Diabetes Federation criteria for MS, patients who had no less than two components of MS but did not meet the criteria for the diagnosis of MS were considered as having pre-MS. Results: The ApoB/ApoA1 ratio was higher in obese subjects with high free androgen index (FAI). The ApoB/ApoA1 ratio increased significantly as the number of MS components increased and provided 87.5% of sensitivity and 78.9% of specificity with a threshold value of 0.63 for MS, 86.2% of sensitivity and 79.4% of specificity with a threshold value of 0.58 for pre-MS in Chinese adolescent women with PCOS. Conclusion: The ApoB/ApoA1 ratio was a good predictive marker of MS and pre-MS in Chinese adolescent women with PCOS. FAI could be involved in obesity-related metabolic abnormalities.