Endocrine Abstracts

There is strong evidence that genetic factors play an important part in the aetiology of PCOS1 and we have have proposed that PCOS has its origin in fetal life and that, in human females, exposure to excess androgen, at any stage from fetal development of the ovary to the onset of puberty, leads to many of the characteristic features of PCOS, including abnormalities of LH secretion and insulin resistance 2.In postnatal life the natu...

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the commonest endocrine disorders of young women, and the commonest cause of reduced fertility in this age group. There are fundamental metabolic disturbances integral to the syndrome that lead to significant cardiovascular risk, and these include obesity, insulin resistance, beta cell dysfunction, impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnoea, a pro-coagulant state, and endothe...

PCOS typically presents in adolescence. Whilst early diagnosis is important, symptoms and signs (anovulatory cycles, menstrual irregularities, acne) reflect a continuum on a background genetic predisposition and can be difficult to distinguish at an early stage from normal adolescent maturation. Major clinical stigmata – persistent menstrual irregularities (oligo- and amenorrhoea) and hirsutism and acne due to hyperandrogenism – can be very distressing.<p class="...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common and incompletely understood endocrinopathy in women that has both metabolic and reproductive features. Pathophysiologic constructs often guide the design and interpretation of studies by researchers and the choice of treatment by clinicians. Voids in evidence lead to consensus conferences to guide the diagnosis and treatment of the syndrome, yet these remain the lowest level of evidence. This lecture will explore the role of metform...