Endocrinological environment of polycystic ovarian disease

Serum levels of androgenic hormones, 17-hydroxyprogesterone and estrone in Japanese patients with polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD) were elevated as compared to normal women. In early follicular phase of all of PCOD patients, serum levels LH were always higher than those of FSH. Serum PRL levels were shown to be significantly (p less than 0.05) higher in PCOD patients than in normal women. Although the cause of both inappropriate gonadotropin secretion and occurrence of mild hyperprolactinemia in PCOD have not been fully elucidated, decrease in numbers of receptor for dopamine is thought to be one of the main causes of them from the present data obtained by metoclopramide injection administered during the continuous infusion of dopamine.