title: Effect of an oral contraceptive on emotional distress, anxiety and depression of women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to determine the impact of an oral contraceptive (OC) treatment on health-related quality of life (HRQOL), depressive and anxiety symptoms in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OC therapy in PCOS improves hirsutism and menstrual disturbances, along with HRQOL. This improvement is not associated with any change in the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms. WHAT IS KNOWN AND WHAT THIS ARTICLE ADDS: Limited data are available regarding the effects of an OC on HRQOL, and depressive and anxiety symptoms in PCOS. This study reports the effects of the ethinyl estradiol/drospirenone (EE/DRSP) OC on an HRQOL questionnaire for women with PCOS (PCOSQ), depressive and anxiety symptoms after 6 months of treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study. All participants completed PCOSQ, Beck Depression Inventory, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and General Health Questionnaire. Serum androgens, fasting insulin, fasting and postload glucose values during an oral glucose tolerance test were measured. Changes in these variables and the scores of questionnaires were evaluated after 6 months of treatment with EE/DRSP (3 mg/30 μg).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six patients with PCOS without a previous psychiatric diagnosis were included in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main complaints of the patients were hirsutism and irregular menses. Accordingly, menstrual and hirsutism problems were the most serious concerns followed by emotional problems on the PCOSQ. Eight patients (22.2%) had clinical depression scores. After treatment, regular menstrual cycles were attained and hirsutism was significantly improved in all patients. Hirsutism and emotion domains of the PCOSQ improved at 6 months (P< 0.05 for both). Depression was improved in five of eight depressive patients and four new patients showed increased depression scores. Overall, depression, anxiety mean scores and depression rates did not show a significant change.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study is subject to the strengths and limitations of observational study design. A limitation of our study is the small sample size and lack of data related to possible confounding factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Generalizable to Caucasian PCOS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nese
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cinar
authors.forename: Ayla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harmanci
authors.forename: Basaran
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.forename: Bulent O
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Yildiz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000736:Androstenes / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000736:Androstenes; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; C534342:drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol combination; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol