Increased peripheral androgen activity in infertile Korean women with polycystic ovaries

The present investigation was designed to determine whether infertile women with polycystic ovaries (PCO) have sonographic or endocrinological differences compared with women with PCO proven to be fertile. Sonographic morphology of the ovary was not significantly different between the groups. However, serum concentrations of 3alpha-androstanediol glucuronide (3alpha-diolG) were significantly higher in infertile women with PCO than in those proven to be fertile. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was noted between 3alpha-diolG and luteinizing hormone (LH) in infertile women, but not in those who were fertile. The higher correlation between serum 3alpha-diolG concentrations and serum LH concentrations seen in infertile women with PCO, with the lack of a significant difference in LH concentrations between infertile and fertile women, suggests that serum 3alpha-diolG may be a leading cause of subfertility in women with PCO. Accordingly, our evidence for increased 3alpha-diolG in the infertile group needs to be confirmed by further studies, including direct 5alpha-reductase assay, adrenal function tests and evaluation of hepatic conjugation activity.