Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: Comprehensive Overview and Management Approaches

The 2015 document provides a comprehensive overview of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), detailing its clinical features, diagnostic criteria, and management approaches. It emphasizes the importance of a 500-calorie deficit per day for weight loss, which can improve metabolic risk factors and ovulation. Lifestyle modifications, including diet and exercise, are shown to significantly reduce the progression to Type 2 diabetes, and metformin is recommended for those with impaired glucose tolerance. The document advises against the use of thiazolidinediones due to side effects and calls for more research on other insulin-sensitizing agents and weight loss medications in PCOS patients. Bariatric surgery is mentioned as a treatment for morbid obesity in PCOS, with some studies indicating positive outcomes. For adolescents with PCOS, oral contraceptive pills are the first-line therapy for hirsutism and anovulatory symptoms, alongside lifestyle changes for those who are overweight or obese. The document concludes with a call for future research into the genetic and environmental factors of PCOS to improve prevention and treatment strategies.