The degree of cycle irregularity correlates with the grade of endocrine and metabolic disorders in PCOS patients.
OBJECTIVE
PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) is a clinically heterogeneous endocrine disorder which affects up to 4-10% of women of reproductive age. A standardized definition is still difficult because of a huge variety of different phenotypes. The aim of this study was to evaluate possible correlations between the degree of cycle irregularity and the grade of endocrine and metabolic abnormalities.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was carried out. Hyperandrogenic and/or hirsute women with regular menstrual cycles and polycystic ovaries on ultrasound (PCOS eumenorr, n=45), PCOS patients with oligomenorrhea (PCOS oligo, n=42) and PCOS patients with amenorrhea (PCOS amenorr, n=31) were recruited from the Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine of the Women's University Hospital Heidelberg (Heidelberg, Germany).


RESULTS
Normocyclic patients demonstrated significantly better metabolic parameters (BMI, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR) than patients with oligo/amenorrhea. Hormonal parameters (LH, FSH, FAI and testosterone) were significantly different between patients with different menstrual patterns and patients with regular cycles.


CONCLUSIONS
Determining the degree of cycle irregularity as a simple clinical parameter might be a valuable instrument to estimate the degree of metabolic and endocrine disorders. Emphasis should be given to those parameters as a first step to characterize PCOS patients with a risk of endocrine and metabolic disorders leading to consequent detailed examination.
Strowitzki
Thomas
T
Dept. of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Vossstrasse 9, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany. thomas.strowitzki@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Capp
Edison
E
von Eye Corleta
Helena
H
D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D009839:Oligomenorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*
D007328:Insulin; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone