Metformin may provide an effective treatment for obese teenage girls with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), say Dr A. Whiter and colleagues (department of endocrinology, UCL-Middlesex hospital, London). They presented the results of a small trial at the Society of Endocrinology's annual meeting on November 8.
Twelve obese patients (mean age 16.3 years) were given 2g metformin daily, built up over three to six weeks from 250mg per day. During a six month period, a mean fall of 5 per cent in body mass index was observed and an improvement in menstrual status was seen in seven out of nine patients.
Conventional treatment with the contraceptive pill, with or without antiandrogens, may not be appropriate for obese teenagers, the authors say. They comment that women with PCOS are insulin resistant, particularly when overweight, and that insulin may stimulate ovarian androgen secretion. Other studies have suggested that metformin, an insulin sensitising agent, is effective in restoring ovulation in obese women with PCOS, they say. They conclude: "Metformin promises to be an effective, safe and inexpensive treatment for obese teenagers. Though it appears to promote weight loss, resumption of normal menstruation may occur independently of this."