Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): Making Sense of the Alphabet
PCOS is the commonest endocrinopathy of reproductive years with a quoted prevalence of 5-11%, depending upon populations studied.1 Despite being a liberally diagnosed, the disorder remains relatively poorly understood. The syndrome was first described in 1935 as a conglomeration of symptoms of mens...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Dow University of Health Sciences
2011-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of the Dow University of Health Sciences |
| Online Access: | https://jduhs.com/index.php/jduhs/article/view/1519 |
| Summary: | PCOS is the commonest endocrinopathy of reproductive years with a quoted prevalence of 5-11%, depending upon
populations studied.1 Despite being a liberally diagnosed, the disorder remains relatively poorly understood. The syndrome
was first described in 1935 as a conglomeration of symptoms of menstrual irregularity and signs of hyperandrogenism
(hirsutism) and of enlarged cystic ovaries. Currently, at least three nomenclatures are widely recognized for diagnosing
PCOS, with a considerable overlap in the diagnostic criteria (Table 1).2 It is imperative to appreciate the heterogeneity
within the population diagnosed with PCOS and to recognize that PCOS remains a diagnosis of exclusion. The common
systemic disorders that may mimic PCOS include hypothyroidism, hyperprolactinemia, late onset congenital adrenal hyperplasia, androgen secreting tumors, Cushing’s syndrome and exogenous androgen exposure; these must be excluded prior to arriving at a diagnosis ofPCOS. -
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| ISSN: | 1995-2198 2410-2180 |