11-Oxyandrogens in Adolescents With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
March 2022
in “
Journal of the Endocrine Society
”
TLDR Girls with PCOS have higher levels of certain androgens, which are linked to excess hair growth, but these androgens don't help diagnose PCOS.
The study "11-Oxyandrogens in Adolescents With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome" involved 200 adolescent females, including 115 with untreated Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), 70 controls, and 15 with PCOS and obesity treated with either combined oral contraceptive pills (COCPs) or metformin. The research found that untreated girls with PCOS had higher levels of 11-Hydroxyandrostenedione (11-OHA4) and 11-hydroxytestosterone (11-OHT) compared to controls. However, testosterone was a better predictor of PCOS status than 11-oxyandrogens. All three 11-oxyandrogens correlated with hirsutism severity in untreated PCOS patients. COCP treatment lowered 11-Ketotestosterone (11-KT) and testosterone levels, while metformin treatment had no effect on 11-oxyandrogens, although it did lower testosterone. The study concluded that while 11-oxyandrogens do not aid in diagnosing PCOS, they are related to excess hair growth. Further research is needed to determine their relationship with metabolic outcomes and the clinical utility of measuring these androgens in PCOS.
