Endocrine Abstracts

The prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is generally estimated at 5–7% in women of reproductive age. But studies regarding the prevalence of PCOS have largely been confined to non-Asians. We aimed to estimate prevalence and phenotype of PCOS in Korean women. Cross sectional study was done between November 2008 and May 2009. A questionnaire based on menstrual history and clinical manifestations of hyperandrogenism was utilized to find out ‘probable cases’ of PCOS in 8080 women aged 16–39 years from three women’s universities, five girls’ high schools and one hospital employees. Selected ‘probable cases’ underwent detailed evaluation including a modified Ferriman-Gallwey hirsutism score, the anthropometric measure, serum screening for hyperandrogenemia, hyperprolactinemia, and latent 21α-hydroxylase deficiency and ovarian ultrasound. Hyperandrogenemia (HA) was defined as free testosterone levels above the 95th percentile of the levels in the group of regular cycling non-hirsute women.

A total of 846 (10.5%) ‘probable cases (oligo/amenorrhea; OM)’ were identified and 278 participated detailed examination. Further evaluation of the probable cases confirmed 178 newly diagnosed cases of PCOS (prevalence 6. 3%) by the 2003 Rotterdam diagnostic criteria, 125 cases (4.4%) by 1990 NICHD criteria and 146 cases (5.1%) by androgen excess society criteria. Of the women with ‘(OM) and/or hirsutism (HI),’ 97.1% were confirmed to have PCOS; 100% of women with ‘regular cycles in the absence of HI’ were confirmed as normal. Of phenotypes of PCOS, 45.0% were OM-HA/HI-polycystic ovaries (PCO), 25.2% OM-HA/HI, 18.0% OM-PCO, and 11.8% HA/HI-PCO. Of women with OM, 45.3 to 64.0% of cases were confirmed as PCOS by variable diagnostic criteria and screening for PCOS should be considered in women with oligomenorrhea.