title: Prevalence and impact of hyperandrogenemia in 1,218 women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
abstract: Hyperandrogenemia modifies phenotypic characteristics of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The aim of the present study is to evaluate (a) the prevalence of hyperandrogenemia in PCOS women (Rotterdam criteria) and (b) the impact of either the degree or the type of hyperandrogenemia on phenotype. Anthropometric, clinical, hormonal, metabolic and ultrasound characteristics of 1,218 women with PCOS were analyzed in this cross-sectional study. The prevalence of hyperandrogenemia was 58.8 %. Women with hyperandrogenemia had higher luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), free androgen index, lower sex-hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and fasting glucose levels compared to women with normal androgens (p < 0.001 for all comparisons; p = 0.001 for fasting glucose). Regarding the presence of isolated hyperandrogenemia, the group with only elevated testosterone levels was termed GT and an analogous categorization was made for dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (GD) and androstenedione (Δ4) (GΔ4), respectively. GT, GD and GΔ4 comprised the 17.2, 7.6 and 4.1 % of total cohort, respectively. These groups differed significantly between them in LH, LH/FSH ratio, and SHBG (p < 0.001). Hyperandrogenemia is found in almost 60 % of women with PCOS (Rotterdam criteria), and it affects hormonal characteristics of these women such as LH and SHBG values. Regarding the impact of isolated hyperandrogenemia on PCOS characteristics, it appears that Δ4 and testosterone elevations are associated with increased LH levels.
authors.affiliation: Endocrine Unit, Third Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mesogeion 152, 11527, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Sarantis
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Livadas
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pappas
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karachalios
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marinakis
authors.forename: Nikoleta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tolia
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drakou
authors.forename: Philippos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaldrymides
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Panidis
authors.forename: Evanthia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Diamanti-Kandarakis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D017588:Hyperandrogenism / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000032:analysis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone
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