There is a high prevalence of biochemical hyperandrogenism in patients with PCOS. - GreenMedInfo Summary
[Adrenal androgen participation in the polycystic ovary syndrome].
Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2010 Nov ;32(11):541-8. PMID: 21271165
Médico do Hospital Universitário Júlio Müller da Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso – UFMT Cuiabá (MT), Brasil.
PURPOSE: to reassess the adrenal function of patients with PCOS after the introduction of the Rotterdam's criteria.
METHODS: descriptive and cross-sectional study including 53 patients 26 ± 5.1 years old. Glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, lipids, estradiol, progesterone, 17-OHP4, DHEAS, FSH, LH, TSH, PRL, androstenedione, free thyroxine, insulin, total testosterone, SHBG, and free androgen index were measured. Insulin resistance was considered to be present with a homeostatic model assessment index>2.8. The adrenal response to cortrosyn was assessed by the hormonal rise observed at 60 minutes, and by the area under the response curve.
RESULTS: biochemical hyperandrogenism was found in 43 of 53 eligible patients (81.1%). Thirty-three women had adrenal hyperandrogenism (62.2%). The weight of these 33 women, aging 25.1 ± 5.0 years, was 74.9 ± 14.9 kg, BMI was 28.8 ± 6.0 and the waist/hip ratio was 0.8 ± 0.1. DHEAS was>6.7 nmol/L in 13 (39.4%) and androstenendione was>8.7 nmol/L in 31 (93.9%). The increments in 17-OHP4, cortisol, A, and progesterone were 163%, 153%, 32%, and 79%, respectively. The homeostatic insulin resistance model was>2.8 in 14 (42.4%). Insulin and estradiol were not correlated with cortisol or androgens.
CONCLUSIONS: the use of multiple endocrine parameters showed a high prevalence of biochemical hyperandrogenism in patients with PCOS. Two thirds of the patients had adrenal hyperandrogenism, and estradiol and insulin did not influence adrenal secretion.