Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) stands out as the most prevalent endocrine disorder affecting women during their reproductive years. Diagnosis typically relies on the ESHRE/ASRM criteria, necessitating the presence of at least two of three criteria: anovulatory dysfunction (ANOV), hyperandrogenism (HA), and morphologically polycystic ovaries visualized through ultrasound (PCOM). Using these criteria, patients can be classified into four phenotypes: PCOS-A (HA+ANOV+PCOM), PCOS-B (HA+ANOV), PCOS-C (HA+PCOM), and PCOS-D (ANOV+PCOM). Our pilot study aimed to evaluate the quality of life in various PCOS phenotypes within the Serbian population, using the Serbian version of the Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOSQ-50).

Subjects and methods: We analyzed 46 women with PCOS divided into phenotypes PCOS-A (n=17, BMI-26.5±6.1 kg/m²), PCOS-B (n=10, BMI 28.4±6.2 kg/m²), PCOS-C (n=12, BMI 23.5±4.6 kg/m²), and PCOS-D (n=7, BMI 22.2±2.5 kg/m²), alongside 31 age-matched healthy controls (BMI 22.6±3.7 kg/m²). There was no difference in BMI except between the controls and the PCOS-B group (P=0.011).

Results: Compared to healthy controls, PCOS-C exhibited lower scores in coping, obesity and menstrual disorders, and total PCOSQ-50 score (2.99±0.38 vs 3.56±0.60, P=0.043; 3.00±0.5 vs 3.78±0.89, P=0.004; 3.60±0.34 vs 3.92±0.50, P=0.003, respectively). PCOS-D displayed significantly lower scores in sexual function, obesity and menstrual disorders, and coping scale (3.32±1.02 vs 4.37±0.51, P=0.006; 2.79±1.23 vs 3.78±0.89, P=0.004; 2.35±0.71 vs 3.56±0.60, P<0.001, respectively). PCOS-B exhibited a lower total PCOSQ-50 score compared to controls, indicating a lower quality of life (3.37±0.49 vs 3.92±0.50, P=0.035). Within the PCOS groups, our study revealed that PCOS-C had a lower score in the obesity and menstrual disorder scale compared to PCOS-A (3.00±0.53 vs 3.80±0.84, P=0.015). PCOS-D had lower scores for sexual function and coping scale compared to PCOS-A (3.32±1.02 vs 4.31±0.49, P=0.021; 2.35±0.71 vs 3.55±0.59, P<0.001, respectively). Fertility and hirsutism scales showed no significant differences within the groups, and compared to controls. While no intra-group differences were observed in psychosocial and emotional scales, these scores exhibited a negative correlation with BMI in PCOS-B (r=-0.647, P=0.004) and with Free Androgen Index (FAI) in the PCOS-D group (r=0.924, P=0.023). Higher BMI correlated with a worse Total PCOSQ-50 score in PCOS-B (r=-0.522, P=0.026). Age showed a positive correlation with sexual function and coping scale in the PCOS-B group (r=0.567, P=0.009; r=0.509, P=0.22). However, as expected, coping worsened with higher FAI (r=-0.490, P=0.033).

Conclusion: These findings underscore the necessity for a more extensive investigation involving a larger participant cohort.