The Pressing Need for Standardization in Epidemiologic Studies of PCOS Across the Globe

The 2019 article underscores the urgent need for standardization in epidemiologic studies of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) due to the variability in prevalence rates stemming from different study designs, diagnostic criteria, and definitions of PCOS features. The authors advocate for a globally standardized protocol to enhance study comparability and to better understand the influence of cultural and racial differences on PCOS phenotypes. They discuss the complexities of defining PCOS features and the importance of using medically unselected populations to avoid referral bias. The Androgen Excess and PCOS Society has begun forming an expert Task Force to develop such standardization recommendations. The article also notes the risk of misdiagnosis without comprehensive phenotypic assessments, as evidenced by a Tehran study where over a third of PCOS cases could have been missed. Standardization is deemed essential for advancing PCOS research, shaping public health policy, and elucidating phenotype-genotype correlations.