Evaluation of androgen-dependent skin findings of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

AIM: The purpose of the study was to investigate the biochemical and metabolic abnormalities related to the cutaneous characteristics of PCOS. MATERIAL­METHODS: Patients diagnosed with PCOS were included in the study. Demographic data and accompanying androgen-dependent skin findings (acne, seborrhea, androgenic alopecia, acanthosis nigricans, skin tag, and hirsutism) were recorded. The free testosterone, total testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, androstenedione,17-Hidroksi progesterone, sex hormone binding globulin, prolactin, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, HbA1C, HDL, and triglycerides, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinized hormone, free androgen index, and HOMA-IR levels of the patients were measured. The hormonal values of the patients with PCOS with and without skin findings were compared. RESULTS: The HOMA-IR values of the acanthosis nigricans (+) PCOS group were significantly higher than the acanthosis nigricans (-) PCOS group (p < .001). The DHEA-SO4, FAI, and FI values of patients with hirsutism (HR) (+) PCOS were found to be statistically higher than patients with HR (-) PCOS (p = .006, p = .015, p = .004). CONCLUSION: PCOS is among the most common endocrine disorders of women of reproductive age and was associated with some hormonal, metabolic, and skin findings. Certain androgenic and metabolic variables developing in PCOS might correlate with cutaneous symptoms.

Androstenedione response to recombinant human FSH is the most valid predictor of the number of selected follicles in polycystic ovarian syndrome: (a case-control study).

BACKGROUND: We aimed to test the hypothesis that the correlation of the changes in the blood Androstenedione (A4) levels to the number of selected follicles during ovulation induction with low-dose recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone (rhFSH) is as strong as the correlation to changes in the blood Estradiol (E2) levels in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: Prospective Case-control study conducted from October 2014 to January 2016. 61 non-PCOS control (Group I) and 46 PCOS (Group II) patients treated with the chronic low-dose step up protocosl with rhFSH. A4, E2, progesterone blood levels and follicular growth were monitored.. Univariate and hierarchical multivariable analysis were performed for age, BMI, HOMA-IR, A4 and E2 (with the number of selected follicles as the dependent variable in both groups). ROC analysis was performed to define threshold values for the significant determinants of the number of selected follicles to predict cyle cancellations due to excessive ovarian response. RESULTS: The control group (Group I) was comprised of 61 cycles from a group of primary infertile non-PCOS patients, and the study group (Group II) of 46 cycles of PCOS patients. The analysis revealed that the strongest independent predictor of the total number of selected follicles in Group I was the E2(AUC) (B = 0.0006[0.0003-0.001]; P < 0.001); whereas for Group II, it was the A4 (AUC) (B = 0.114[0.04-0.25]; P = 0.01). Optimum thresholds for the A4 related parameters were defined to predict excessive response within Group II were 88.7%, 3.1 ng/mL and 5.4 ng*days for the percentage increase in A4, the maximum A4 value and area under the curve values for A4, respectively. CONCLUSION: A4 response to low-dose rhFSH in PCOS has a stronger association with the number of follicles selected than the E2 reponse. A4 response preceding the E2 response is essential for progressive follicle development. Monitoring A4 rather than E2 may be more preemptive to define the initial ovarian response and accurate titration of the rhFSH doses. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered as a prospective case-control study in the ClinicalTrials.gov registry with the identifier NCT02329483 .