Cutaneous Findings and Systemic Associations in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

The document presents a retrospective cross-sectional study examining the cutaneous and systemic features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in a sample of 401 women referred for suspected PCOS at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) PCOS Multidisciplinary Clinic. Of these women, 69% (276) met the Rotterdam PCOS diagnostic criteria, while 12% (48) did not, 11% (46) had insufficient data for diagnosis, 2% (7) were excluded, and 6% (24) refused to participate. The study found that women who met the PCOS criteria had significantly higher rates of hirsutism, acne, and acanthosis nigricans (AN) compared to those who did not meet the criteria. Hirsutism and AN were also associated with higher rates of elevated free testosterone and metabolic abnormalities such as insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and elevated body mass index (BMI). Acne was more prevalent in women with PCOS, but there were minimal differences in acne types and distribution between the two groups. The study concluded that hirsutism and AN are reliable cutaneous markers of PCOS and are associated with metabolic comorbidities, while acne and androgenic alopecia (AGA) are not reliable markers of biochemical hyperandrogenism in this population.