Serum anti-mullerian hormone concentrations are elevated in oligomenorrheic girls without evidence of hyperandrogenism.
BACKGROUND
Serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels are significantly elevated in adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) compared to normal controls. Whether adolescents with oligomenorrhea have elevated AMH levels is unknown.


OBJECTIVE
This study was performed to assess serum AMH levels in oligomenorrheic (OLIGO) girls without evidence of hyperandrogenism.


METHODS
This was a prospective study comparing AMH levels in OLIGO, PCOS, and normal control adolescents.


METHODS
The study was conducted through four tertiary academic medical centers.


METHODS
The study groups were comprised of OLIGO (n = 24), PCOS (n = 153), and normal adolescent girls (n = 39), as well as PCOS (n = 73) and normal adult women (n = 36).


METHODS
In each subject, serum AMH levels were assessed in the early to midfollicular phases for regularly menstruating subjects and on an arbitrary day for OLIGO or PCOS subjects.


METHODS
Basal serum AMH levels were assessed among OLIGO, PCOS, and normal girls, in addition to PCOS and normal women.


RESULTS
OLIGO girls had serum AMH levels (5.33 +/- 0.47 ng/ml) that were significantly greater than the normal adolescents (3.05 +/- 0.31 ng/ml) and adults (2.33 +/- 0.22 ng/ml), but similar to values seen in the PCOS adolescents (5.28 +/- 0.26 ng/ml) and adults (6.36 +/- 0.47 ng/ml). Obese adolescents and PCOS women had significantly lower AMH levels compared to lean controls (P < 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
In OLIGO adolescents, elevated serum AMH levels suggest increased antral follicle number similar to that observed in girls with PCOS.
Park
Alice S
AS
Department of Reproductive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0633, USA.
Lawson
Mark A
MA
Chuan
Sandy S
SS
Oberfield
Sharon E
SE
Hoeger
Kathleen M
KM
Witchel
Selma F
SF
Chang
R Jeffrey
RJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D017588:Hyperandrogenism / Q000097:blood*; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000097:blood; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood; D009839:Oligomenorrhea / Q000097:blood*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000502:physiology; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D013739:Testosterone; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone