Can analysis of serum androgens aid in the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in adolescents?

INTRODUCTION: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a female metabolic disorder that is characterized by ovulatory dysfunction, elevated serum androgen concentrations, and polycystic ovarian morphology (PCOM). However, diagnosis of PCOS in adolescents is challenging.

AREAS COVERED: The mechanisms of PCOS pathophysiology are discussed that include: i) dysregulation of the levels of steroidal enzymes ii) abnormalities in the secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle stimulating hormone , and iii) abnormalities in ovarian Thecal and Granulosa cell function. Current clinical diagnosis protocols for PCOS in women are covered. The challenges in diagnosis of PCOS particularly in adolescents are highlightedWe highlighted an important unmet need for an accurate serum test for the early diagnosis of adolescent girls with PCOS.

EXPERT OPINION: Steroid metabolite profiling that captures hyperandrogenism has shown some early promise to serve as a biomarker for early diagnosis of PCOS in women, something that would be especially useful in adolescents.