Comparison of Androgenic Hormone Levels in Various Phenotypes of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in High School Girls Aged 14 to 18 Years

In a 2009 cross-sectional study of 3200 high school girls aged 14 to 18 in Shiraz, Iran, researchers investigated androgenic hormone levels in different phenotypes of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). They found that the most common PCOS phenotype was hyperandrogenism and polycystic ovaries, affecting 45 patients (30.8%). While mean levels of testosterone, free testosterone, and DHEAS were higher in patients with this phenotype, the differences were not statistically significant when compared to non-affected participants. However, significant correlations between hormone levels and other PCOS phenotypes were observed. The study also reported that 144 cases (4.6%) had oligomenorrhea, and 29.5% of these exhibited PCOS symptoms on ultrasound. The conclusion was that androgenic hormone levels were notably higher in PCOS phenotypes with menstrual disorders, especially oligomenorrhea, suggesting that menstrual disorders are a more critical factor for PCOS diagnosis than other symptoms.