A study of hormonal and anthropometric parameters in polycystic ovarian syndrome

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrinopathy with a complex metabolic disorder. PCOS is characterized by reproductive hormonal imbalances leading to the clinical presentation of hyperandrogenism and infertility. PCOS is also showing an increased prevalence of several other conditions such as obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) when compared with women without PCOS. The principal symptoms in patients with PCOS are irregular menstruation, acne, and excessive amounts of androgenic hormones. The Rotterdam PCOS consensus workshop has given specific criteria to establish PCOS diagnosis only after exclusion of other known disorders. Obesity is a common finding of women with PCOS, but it is not part of the diagnostic criteria. PCOS has metabolic characteristics that include prominent defects in insulin action and beta-cell function, defects that confer a substantially increased risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. PCOS women have an increased level of luteinizing hormone (LH) and a decreased level of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which leads to disorders in the regulation of the menstrual cycle. The values of LH and FSH are dependent on the day of the menstrual cycle in which the hormones are measured. Obesity also has an influence on these values.

The objective of this study was to compare the hormonal and anthropometric parameters in women with PCOS and healthy control group.

This study was carried out in the Department of Pathology, Dr. D Y Patil Medical College and Research Centre, Pune, Maharashtra. Fifty female patients aged 16-40 years diagnosed with PCOS by known criteria were included in the study and compared with 50 healthy control group females.

Elevated levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone, LH, FSH, and prolactin along with increased body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio were predictors of PCOS and the early metabolic abnormalities.