Correlation of adrenocorticotropin steroid levels between women with polycystic ovary syndrome and their sisters.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess the sibling correlation of adrenocorticotropic hormone-stimulated steroid hormone levels between probands with polycystic ovary syndrome and their sisters.


METHODS
Twenty-seven women with polycystic ovary syndrome and 28 of their sisters underwent an adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test with measurement of the steroids dehydroepiandrosterone, androstenedione, and cortisol 60 minutes later. The 60-minute values were used to calculate sister-sister correlations by regression analyses.


RESULTS
The adrenocorticotropic hormone-stimulated (60-minute) log-transformed dehydroepiandrosterone and cortisol values were significantly correlated between siblings (r = 0.47, P = .01 and r = 0.57, P = .01, respectively); a similar trend was observed for the 60-minute A4 values (r = 0.29, P = .06).


CONCLUSIONS
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome and their sisters have significantly correlated levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone-stimulated steroids, supporting a genetic basis of the adrenal androgen excess observed in polycystic ovary syndrome.
Goodarzi
Mark O
MO
Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.
Guo
Xiuqing
X
Yildiz
Bulent O
BO
Stanczyk
Frank Z
FZ
Azziz
Ricardo
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D011336:Probability; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D035781:Siblings; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone