title: Polycystic ovarian morphology in postmenarchal adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the association of polycystic ovary morphology (PCOM) with ovarian function in adolescents and to determine its time course during two years of follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty healthy adolescents were followed from 2-4 years after menarche.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed annual ultrasonographic and hormonal studies. Ovulation was assessed during 6 consecutive months by measuring salivary progesterone levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Persistence of PCOM during the years following menarche; ovulation in girls with PCOM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PCOM was observed in 40%, 35%, and 33.3% of the ultrasonographic studies performed at 2, 3, and 4 years after menarche, respectively. The concordance between ultrasonographic diagnosis at 2 and 4 years postmenarche (50%) was nonsignificant (kappa = 0.08). PCOM was not associated with abnormalities in ovulatory rate, menstrual cycle duration, lipid levels, or homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance. However, lower FSH (4.8 ± 1.3 vs. 6.1 ± 1.9 mUI/ml) were observed in girls with PCOM compared with those without PCOM. Similar T and stimulated 17-hydroxyprogesterone on the leuprolide test were observed in girls with and without PCOM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCOM is an inconstant finding in healthy adolescents and does not appear to be associated with decreased ovulatory rate or metabolic abnormalities in healthy adolescents. This finding suggests that PCOM may correspond to a physiologic condition during early adolescence.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Maternal and Child Research, School of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile. ecodner@med.uchile.cl
authors.forename: Ethel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Codner
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Villarroel
authors.forename: Francisca C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Eyzaguirre
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Paulina M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Merino
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pérez-Bravo
authors.forename: Germán
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Iñiguez
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cassorla
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D048430:Cell Shape; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008572:Menarche / Q000502:physiology; D009929:Organ Size; D010053:Ovary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010060:Ovulation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011374:Progesterone / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D011374:Progesterone