Hyperandrogenemia in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Association with Body Mass Index

January 2017 in “ Hormone Molecular Biology and Clinical Investigation ”

Eleni Alexiou, Erifili Hatziagelaki, Vasilios Pergialiotis, Charalampos Chrelias, Dimitrios Kassanos, Charalampos Siristatidis, Giannoula Kyrkou, Maria Kreatsa, Eftihios Trakakis

hyperandrogenemia polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS testosterone free testosterone androstenedione 17-hydroxyprogesterone DHEAS cortisol HOMA-IR white blood cells neutrophils T FT A4-A 17-OHP WBC

TLDR High levels of male hormones are very common in women with PCOS and affect their metabolism differently depending on their weight.

The 2017 study examined 266 women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to determine the prevalence of hyperandrogenemia and its relationship with body mass index (BMI). Hyperandrogenemia was present in 78.2% of the participants, with elevated levels of testosterone (T), free testosterone (FT), and androstenedione (A4-A) being common. The study found that hyperandrogenemia was associated with different metabolic profiles depending on BMI. In women with a BMI ≤ 25 kg/m², hyperandrogenemia was linked to lower hip circumference and HOMA-IR, and higher levels of T, FT, A4-A, 17-OHP, DHEAS, WBC, and neutrophils. Overweight women with hyperandrogenemia had higher levels of T, FT, A4-A, 17-OHP, DHEAS, and cortisol, but similar TSH levels compared to those without hyperandrogenemia. The study concluded that hyperandrogenemia is highly prevalent in women with PCOS and significantly affects metabolic parameters differently based on BMI.

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Research cited in this study

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