Human blood samples.
Peripheral blood samples were obtained from women with PCOS diagnosed
>12 months prior to sample collection using Rotterdam
diagnostic criteria[1] (West Midlands (Black Country) Research
Ethics Committee 15/WM/0162). Repository samples with long-term clinical
data enabled identification and comparison of six ‘control’ (women with
PCOS), and six ‘case’ women with PCOS who developed diabetes (median
three years) following sample collection (demographics in TableS1 ). Samples were matched by ethnicity, and where possible by
age, BMI, smoking status, and co-morbidity. No patient had prior history
of endocrine/metabolic disorder, malignancy or systemic chemotherapy.