May AMH levels distinguish LOCAH from PCOS among hirsute women?

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) would be distinguishable from women with late onset congenital adrenal hyperplasia (LOCAH) on the basis of antimullerian hormone (AMH) levels. STUDY DESIGN: PCOS was diagnosed in 170 women; 105 were polycystic ovary morphology (PCOM)+/oligo-anovulation (OA)+/hyperandrogenism (HA)+, 40 PCOM+/OA-/HA+ and 25 PCOM-/OA+/HA+. These three groups were compared with 25 women in whom LOCAH was diagnosed. RESULTS: The mean serum AMH levels were 8.12±1.85ng/ml in PCOM+/OA+/HA+ group, 5.34±1.82ng/ml in PCOM+/OA-/HA+ group, 3.02±1.76ng/ml in PCOM-/OA+/HA+ group and 4.43±1.29ng/ml in LOCAH group. The mean AMH level in PCOM+/OA+/HA+ group was approximately twofold higher than the mean AMH level measured in LOCAH group (p<0.001). Women with PCOM+/OA-/HA+ had higher serum AMH levels than those with LOCAH, women with LOCAH had higher serum AMH levels than those with PCOM-/OA+/HA+ but these differences were not statistically significant (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: AMH is not suitable for distinguishing LOCAH from all types of hyperandrogenic patterns of PCOS, but is only applicable for a specific subtype, such as PCOS patients with three main diagnostic criteria. Therefore, ACTH stimulation test remains an essential clinical tool to diagnose LOCAH.

Serum AMH levels in the differential diagnosis of hyperandrogenemic conditions.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnostic potential of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) in the differential diagnosis of various hyperandrogenemic conditions. STUDY DESIGN: Among 2241 consecutive women of reproductive age who were seen at a tertiary care university hospital with complaints of acne, hirsutism, androgenetic alopecia, and menstrual dysfunction (oligomenorrhea and/or amenorrhea), 107 patients with serum 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (17α-OHP) levels higher than 2 ng/ml were recruited for this study. An ACTH stimulation test was performed, and basal serum hormonal parameters and AMH levels were measured for all patients. RESULTS: 25 patients were diagnosed with late-onset congenital adrenal hyperplasia (LOCAH), and 59 patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) had significantly higher serum AMH levels than all other groups. CONCLUSION: Among hyperandrogenemic patients with serum 17α-OHP levels >2 ng/ml, serum AMH levels might be introduced as a marker to be utilized clinically in the differential diagnosis of hyperandrogenemic patients, especially for identifying patients with PCOS.

An alternative treatment option in tubal ectopic pregnancies with fetal heartbeat: aspiration of the embryo followed by single-dose methotrexate administration.

OBJECTIVE: To present 13 cases of unruptured tubal ectopic pregnancies successfully treated with ultrasound-guided aspiration and local and systemic methotrexate (MTX) administration. DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENT(S): Thirteen women with an unruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy. INTERVENTION(S): Transvaginal ultrasound-guided aspiration of the tubal ectopic pregnancy followed by MTX administration into the gestational sac (half of the calculated total dose of 25 mg/m(2)) and intramuscular injection (the remaining half of the calculated total dose of 25 mg/m(2)). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Recovery of the patients, successful conservative treatment of the tubal ectopic pregnancies with preservation of the fallopian tubes. RESULT(S): Twelve (92%) of 13 women were successfully aborted, without need for salpingectomy or salpingostomy. CONCLUSION(S): Transvaginal ultrasound-guided aspiration of fetus followed by local and systemic methotrexate administration can be safely used to treat unruptured tubal ectopic pregnancies.