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Clinical characteristics, metabolic features, and phenotype of Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a large-scale case–control study

  • General Gynecology
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Abstract

Aim

The Rotterdam criteria extend the phenotypic spectrum of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The study was to investigate the clinical and biochemical features of a large-scale clinic based on the samples of Chinese women and to evaluate the value of Rotterdam criteria on Chinese PCOS women.

Methods

One thousand four hundred and four Chinese women were involved in our study, among whom, 719 cases were diagnosed as PCOS based on 2003 Rotterdam criteria, and 685 women without history of hyperandrogenism and with regular menstrual cycles were recruited as control. Clinical features, ultrasonographic (ovarian follicle number and volume), hormonal and metabolic parameters were commenced as outcome measures.

Results

Among 719 PCOS women, 6.1 % had hirsutism, 13.3 % had acne, 21.1 % had hyperandrogenism, 94.2 % had polycystic ovaries on ultrasonographic examination, and 88.6 % had menstrual abnormality. About one-third of the total PCOS patients were insulin resistant. The most frequent PCOS phenotype is the non-hyperandrogenic phenotype (O + P). Total testosterone, LH/FSH ratio, body mass index (BMI), and Ferriman and Gallwey scores (F–G) were all significantly higher in PCOS groups compared with non-PCOS group. Women with PCOS and obesity had higher serum testosterone, fasting insulin, longer menstrual cycle and larger ovarian follicle number, and LH/FSH ratio, estradiol or ovarian volume were similar between obese and normal BMI women. The LH level was statistically lower in the obese PCOS group.

Conclusions

Rotterdam criteria are generally applicable to Chinese population. Chinese women with PCOS showed lower rates of hyperandrogenemia, hirsutism, obesity, and insulin resistance. Obesity aggravates menstrual irregularity and increases the follicle number and serum total testosterone level.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the staff of the Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University and Tianjin Central Gynecology and Obstetrics Hospital for their kind assistance and collaboration in data collection.

Conflict of interest

We declare that we have no conflicts of interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gynecology, Tianjin Central Gynecology and Obstetrics Hospital, 165 San Ma Road, Nan Kai District, Tianjin, 300100, China

    Hong Yuan Zhang, Cheng Xiu Guo, Peng Peng Qu & Wan Jun Lin

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China

    Fu Fan Zhu & Jing Xiong

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  1. Hong Yuan Zhang
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  2. Cheng Xiu Guo
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Correspondence to Hong Yuan Zhang.

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Zhang, H.Y., Guo, C.X., Zhu, F.F. et al. Clinical characteristics, metabolic features, and phenotype of Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a large-scale case–control study. Arch Gynecol Obstet 287, 525–531 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-012-2568-z

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