title: Androgen Profile Through Life in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Nordic Multicenter Collaboration Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have increased androgen secretion throughout fertile life; however, the data on the effect of menopause on hyperandrogenemia in these women are scarce. Nevertheless, large comprehensive comparative studies on age-related androgen levels in women with PCOS are lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of age on serum androgen levels in women with PCOS and to determine cutoff values for androgens and SHBG associated with a PCOS diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in five university sites in the Nordic countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all, 681 women with PCOS and 230 referent women were grouped according to age into seven age groups (18 to > 50 y).
  
  
  METHODS
  There were no interventions.
  
  
  METHODS
  T, SHBG, free androgen index (FAI), calculated free T (cFT), androstenedione (A4), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Androgen levels in women with PCOS decreased with age toward menopause. The difference between women with PCOS and the referent women narrowed and individual variation increased as they approached menopause. T levels, FAI, and cFT were significantly higher in women with PCOS aged 18-44 years (P < .001, adjusted for body mass index). The best predictive factors for having PCOS were cFT (≥0.40 ng/dL, odds ratio [OR] 7.90), FAI (≥2.0, OR 6.71), and A4 (≥277.94 ng/dL, OR 6.16).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women with PCOS had elevated serum androgen levels also after menopause. The parameters that best predicted PCOS at all ages were cFT, A4, and FAI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (P.P., T.T.P., J.P., J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.), Oulu University Hospital, 90029 Oulu, Finland; University of Oulu and Medical Research Center (J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.) and Department of Clinical Chemistry (A.R., K.P.), University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland; Institute of Laboratory Medicine (E.V.), Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (E.V.), St Olav's University Hospital Trondheim, 7006 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Women's and Children's Health (I.S.-P.), Uppsala University, SE-751 05 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (E.S.-V.), Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (J.S.T.), University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Pekka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pinola
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (P.P., T.T.P., J.P., J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.), Oulu University Hospital, 90029 Oulu, Finland; University of Oulu and Medical Research Center (J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.) and Department of Clinical Chemistry (A.R., K.P.), University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland; Institute of Laboratory Medicine (E.V.), Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (E.V.), St Olav's University Hospital Trondheim, 7006 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Women's and Children's Health (I.S.-P.), Uppsala University, SE-751 05 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (E.S.-V.), Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (J.S.T.), University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Terhi T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Piltonen
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (P.P., T.T.P., J.P., J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.), Oulu University Hospital, 90029 Oulu, Finland; University of Oulu and Medical Research Center (J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.) and Department of Clinical Chemistry (A.R., K.P.), University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland; Institute of Laboratory Medicine (E.V.), Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (E.V.), St Olav's University Hospital Trondheim, 7006 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Women's and Children's Health (I.S.-P.), Uppsala University, SE-751 05 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (E.S.-V.), Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (J.S.T.), University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Puurunen
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (P.P., T.T.P., J.P., J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.), Oulu University Hospital, 90029 Oulu, Finland; University of Oulu and Medical Research Center (J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.) and Department of Clinical Chemistry (A.R., K.P.), University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland; Institute of Laboratory Medicine (E.V.), Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (E.V.), St Olav's University Hospital Trondheim, 7006 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Women's and Children's Health (I.S.-P.), Uppsala University, SE-751 05 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (E.S.-V.), Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (J.S.T.), University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Eszter
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vanky
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (P.P., T.T.P., J.P., J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.), Oulu University Hospital, 90029 Oulu, Finland; University of Oulu and Medical Research Center (J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.) and Department of Clinical Chemistry (A.R., K.P.), University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland; Institute of Laboratory Medicine (E.V.), Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (E.V.), St Olav's University Hospital Trondheim, 7006 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Women's and Children's Health (I.S.-P.), Uppsala University, SE-751 05 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (E.S.-V.), Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (J.S.T.), University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Inger
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sundström-Poromaa
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (P.P., T.T.P., J.P., J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.), Oulu University Hospital, 90029 Oulu, Finland; University of Oulu and Medical Research Center (J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.) and Department of Clinical Chemistry (A.R., K.P.), University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland; Institute of Laboratory Medicine (E.V.), Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (E.V.), St Olav's University Hospital Trondheim, 7006 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Women's and Children's Health (I.S.-P.), Uppsala University, SE-751 05 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (E.S.-V.), Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (J.S.T.), University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Elisabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stener-Victorin
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (P.P., T.T.P., J.P., J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.), Oulu University Hospital, 90029 Oulu, Finland; University of Oulu and Medical Research Center (J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.) and Department of Clinical Chemistry (A.R., K.P.), University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland; Institute of Laboratory Medicine (E.V.), Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (E.V.), St Olav's University Hospital Trondheim, 7006 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Women's and Children's Health (I.S.-P.), Uppsala University, SE-751 05 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (E.S.-V.), Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (J.S.T.), University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Aimo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruokonen
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (P.P., T.T.P., J.P., J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.), Oulu University Hospital, 90029 Oulu, Finland; University of Oulu and Medical Research Center (J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.) and Department of Clinical Chemistry (A.R., K.P.), University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland; Institute of Laboratory Medicine (E.V.), Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (E.V.), St Olav's University Hospital Trondheim, 7006 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Women's and Children's Health (I.S.-P.), Uppsala University, SE-751 05 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (E.S.-V.), Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (J.S.T.), University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Katri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Puukka
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (P.P., T.T.P., J.P., J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.), Oulu University Hospital, 90029 Oulu, Finland; University of Oulu and Medical Research Center (J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.) and Department of Clinical Chemistry (A.R., K.P.), University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland; Institute of Laboratory Medicine (E.V.), Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (E.V.), St Olav's University Hospital Trondheim, 7006 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Women's and Children's Health (I.S.-P.), Uppsala University, SE-751 05 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (E.S.-V.), Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (J.S.T.), University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Juha S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Tapanainen
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (P.P., T.T.P., J.P., J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.), Oulu University Hospital, 90029 Oulu, Finland; University of Oulu and Medical Research Center (J.S.T., L.C.M.-P.) and Department of Clinical Chemistry (A.R., K.P.), University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland; Institute of Laboratory Medicine (E.V.), Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (E.V.), St Olav's University Hospital Trondheim, 7006 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Women's and Children's Health (I.S.-P.), Uppsala University, SE-751 05 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (E.S.-V.), Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (J.S.T.), University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Laure C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Morin-Papunen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017588:Hyperandrogenism / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D013739:Testosterone