title: Reproductive hormone levels and anthropometry in postmenopausal women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): a 21-year follow-up study of women diagnosed with PCOS around 50 years ago and their age-matched controls.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The hormonal and anthropometric profile of premenopausal women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is well described, but there is a lack of data concerning changes in these variables into the postmenopausal period.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our objective was to examine whether PCOS women differ from normal women regarding levels of reproductive hormones, anthropometry, and presence of hirsutism/climacteric symptoms also after menopause.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective study, women with PCOS (61-79 yr) and age-matched controls, examined in 1987, were reinvestigated at a university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five PCOS patients (Rotterdam criteria) and 68 controls (randomly allocated from the Gothenburg WHO MONICA study) participated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reexamination and hormonal measurements were done 21 yr after previous visit.
  
  
  METHODS
  FSH, LH, TSH, thyroid peroxidase antibodies, prolactin, estrone, estradiol, SHBG, androstenedione, total testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, free androgen index, and anthropometry were determined. Presence of climacteric symptoms, hirsutism, and menopausal age were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PCOS women had higher free androgen index (P = 0.001) but lower FSH (P < 0.001) and SHBG (P < 0.01) than controls. Menopausal age, body weight, body mass index, waist to hip ratio, LH, prolactin, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, total testosterone, estradiol, and estrone were similar in PCOS and controls. Women with PCOS reported hirsutism more frequently (P < 0.001) but had fewer climacteric symptoms (P < 0.05) and hypothyroidism than controls (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCOS women differ from controls with regard to levels of certain reproductive hormones also after menopause, but the established premenopausal increase in waist to hip ratio in PCOS patients disappeared after menopause, mainly due to weight gain among controls. A novel finding was the lower prevalence of hypothyroidism in PCOS women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Section for Endocrinology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-41345 Go¨ teborg, Sweden. johanna.schmidt@vgregion.se
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brännström
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Landin-Wilhelmsen
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dahlgren
mesh_terms: D000086:Acetazolamide; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D042341:Gonadal Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
chemical_list: D042341:Gonadal Hormones; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin; D000086:Acetazolamide