Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Adolescents: Challenges in Diagnosis and Treatment

Despite the importance of timely diagnosis and treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) among adolescent females, considering the paucity of data focusing on this group and controversies documented on its recognition and management, the purpose of this review was to summarize challenges and recommendations of diagnosis and treatment for adolescents with PCOS.

This review summarizes papers documented on PCOS among adolescent females. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were searched for retrieving studies conducted on PCOS among adolescent females up to March, 2019. The final selection of papers was made based on their relevancy with the fields of diagnosis and treatment of PCOS in this age group.

Oligo-anovulation in adolescents, if persistent, is a matter for concern. Hirsutism and moderate to severe acne in adolescent females should be considered as clinical manifestations of hyperandrogenism (HA). Diagnosis of biochemical HA in adolescents with PCOS requires reliable tests using well-defined normal ranges. In adolescent females, an elevated androgen level (hyperandrogenemia) alone is not enough to detect HA, unless it is persistent and associated with anovulation. Metabolic disorders should not be used as diagnostic criteria of PCOS among adolescent females. Re-assessment of all adolescent females with probable PCOS, using reliable diagnostic criteria, is needed to avoid over diagnosis and unnecessary treatment in healthy normal females without HA. In adolescent females with PCOS, the main clinical problem is the control of menstrual irregularity and hirsutism; treatment approaches for these patients are primarily directed at the major clinical manifestations and complaints. Lifestyle modifications are baseline interventions, which can be added to special treatments, such as Oral Contraceptives (OCs), metformin, or antiandrogens for most adolescents with PCOS, particularly those with overweight or obesity.

This review emphasizes the use of standard diagnostic criteria for PCOS, developed for adolescents. Although early recognition and management of PCOS in adolescents can prevent long-term complications associated with this syndrome, clinicians should re-evaluate all such patients with features very similar to PCOS to avoid over/incorrect diagnosis using precise criteria, suggested for this age group.