Polycystic ovaries as a relative protective factor for bone mineral loss in young women with amenorrhea.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of polycystic ovaries (PCO) on bone mineral density in amenorrheic women of reproductive age. DESIGN: A retrospective analysis and comparison of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) with non-PCOS amenorrheic women. A subgroup of patients with ultrasound (US)-diagnosed PCO was also investigated. SETTING: Specialist clinic in reproductive endocrinology. PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred ten consecutive cases, mean age of 29.8 +/- 7.5 years, with current history of amenorrhea of various causes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Bone mineral density in the lumbar spine (L1 to L4) as measured by dual energy x ray absorptiometry, in relation to PCOS, US-diagnosed PCO, and US findings of normal ovaries. RESULTS: Amenorrheic patients with PCOS were found to be younger (P less than 0.001), with higher body mass index (P less than 0.001), were more estrogenized, as measured by endometrial thickness and uterine cross-sectional area (P less than 0.001), and had higher bone mineral density (P less than 0.001) compared with non-PCOS amenorrheic patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with amenorrhea because of PCOS and those with US-diagnosed PCO have a higher bone density compared with amenorrheic patients with normal ovaries as detected by US scan.