Prevalence of hyperandrogenemia in the polycystic ovary syndrome diagnosed by the National Institutes of Health 1990 criteria.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of elevated total and free T, and DHEAS, alone and in combination, in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).


METHODS
Cross-sectional analysis.


METHODS
Tertiary care academic medical center.


METHODS
Seven hundred twenty patients diagnosed with PCOS according to the National Institutes of Health 1990 criteria.


METHODS
History, physical examination, and blood sampling.


METHODS
Hyperandrogenemia, defined as at least one androgen value above the 95th percentile of 98 healthy control women (i.e., total T >88 ng/dL, free T >0.75 ng/dL, and DHEAS >2,750 ng/mL).


RESULTS
A total of 716 subjects with PCOS were included. The overall prevalence of hyperandrogenemia in PCOS was 75.3%. Supranormal levels of free T were present in 57.6%, of total T in 33.0%, and of DHEAS in 32.7% of patients with PCOS. When assessing the prevalence of two abnormal values, the prevalence of simultaneously elevated androgens was lowest with total T and DHEAS (1.7%) and highest with total T and free T (20.4%). Altogether, simultaneous elevations in all three markers were found in 8.7% of subjects with PCOS.


CONCLUSIONS
Approximately three-fourths of patients with PCOS diagnosed by the National Institutes of Health 1990 criteria have evidence of hyperandrogenemia; the single most predictive assay was the measurement of free T with approximately 60% of patients demonstrating supranormal levels.
Huang
Andy
A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Brennan
Kathleen
K
Azziz
Ricardo
R
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D003940:Diagnostic Techniques, Endocrine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017588:Hyperandrogenism / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
D013739:Testosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate