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Earlier diagnosis needed to understand long-term effects of PCOS
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More research is needed to establish diagnostic criteria for polycystic ovary syndrome in early adolescence, both through cell and animal models and genetic studies, according to a scientific statement released by the Endocrine Society.
The statement, published in Endocrine Reviews, noted that the diagnosis of PCOS in perimenarchal girls can be difficult, in part because there is an overlap of the classic symptoms of PCOS — excess androgen production, anovulation or the formation of ovarian cysts — with normal pubertal maturation.
“The diagnostic criteria for PCOS are based on expert consensus, not evidence,” Daniel A. Dumesic, MD, of the David Geffen School of medicine at UCLA, and colleagues wrote. “Improved and standardized androgen assays, novel methods for documenting chronic anovulation that go beyond menstrual history, and imaging technology may refine the diagnostic criteria.”
The statement outlined the features and epidemiology of PCOS, which disproportionately affects women with obesity in the United States, and noted that many gaps remain in identifying a common molecular mechanism that would explain both aspects of the phenotype or the significant heterogeneity of the syndrome.
“PCOS disproportionally affects certain ethnic groups, and individual women who have the condition can experience a variety of symptoms,” Richard S. Legro, MD, vice chair of research and a professor of obstetrics and gynecology and public health sciences at Penn State College of Medicine, said in a press release. “Researching the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to these variations could lead to the development of precision treatments personalized for women who have PCOS.”
Criteria for earlier diagnosis, the researchers wrote, would allow longitudinal studies that can better answer remaining questions surrounding what is a complex metabolic disease.
“If health care providers were armed with better strategies for diagnosing PCOS in teenage girls, they would be able to intervene sooner to address risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” Legro, also chair of the task force that developed the statement, said in a press release. “Earlier diagnosis is crucial for gaining a better understanding of the long-term effects of PCOS.” – by Regina Schaffer
Disclosure: Dumesic reports no relevant financial disclosures. Legro reports consulting for AstraZeneca, Clarus Therapeutics, Euroscreen, Kindex, Sprout and Takeda, with grant support from AstraZeneca and Ferring.
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