Precise diagnoses are essential for defining appropriate treatments. This is particularly true for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), whose phenotypical manifestations have recently suggested a possible diversity of etiological factors. PCOS is defined on the basis of gynecological and endocrinological alterations, but the patients often display considerable metabolic impairments, such as insulin resistance, that may worsen typical symptoms. The Rotterdam criteria fail to address this aspect, and the medical community has recently started to consider them as misleading diagnostic tools, casting doubts on whether the term PCOS is suited to describe all the clinical manifestations observed. This Opinion collects and critically discusses the scientific reports that question the definition of PCOS, calling for a revision of the current diagnostic criteria.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tem.2023.08.005 | DOI Listing |
Arch Gynecol Obstet
January 2025
Division of Gynaecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland.
Purpose: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age, often leading to anovulatory infertility. Obesity exacerbates the reproductive, metabolic and psychological features of PCOS, making fertility treatment and patient satisfaction difficult. Despite guidelines from the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) emphasizing lifestyle modifications and specific treatments, there remains a significant gap in adherence to these guidelines by both healthcare providers and patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdv Biol (Weinh)
January 2025
Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, 67100, Italy.
Polycystic ovary syndrome is one of the most common endocrine disorders in women of reproductive age, characterized by functional and structural alterations of the female reproductive organs. Due to the unknown underlying molecular mechanisms, in vivo murine models and in vitro human cellular models are developed to study the syndrome. These models are used to analyze various aspects of the pathology by replicating the conditions of the syndrome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHum Reprod
January 2025
Institute of Genomics, Estonian Genome Centre, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
Study Question: Do polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), menstrual cycle phases, and ovulatory status affect reproductive tract (RT) microbiome profiles?
Summary Answer: We identified microbial features associated with menstrual cycle phases in the upper and lower RT microbiome, but only two specific differences in the upper RT according to PCOS status.
What Is Known Already: The vaginal and uterine microbiome profiles vary throughout the menstrual cycle. Studies have reported alterations in the vaginal microbiome among women diagnosed with PCOS.
Hum Reprod
January 2025
Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA.
Study Question: Are empirically derived adolescent overweight/obesity phenotypes differentially associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in young adulthood?
Summary Answer: Self-reported PCOS diagnosis risk in young adulthood varied by empirically derived adolescent overweight/obesity phenotypes, with the highest risk observed among those in the 'mothers with obesity' and 'early puberty' phenotypes.
What Is Known Already: Overweight and obesity during puberty are postulated to promote the development of PCOS. Much of the prior literature in this area is cross-sectional and defines weight status based solely on BMI, yet emerging research suggests that not all people with overweight/obesity have the same risk for chronic health conditions, including PCOS.
Reprod Biomed Online
September 2024
UMF Iuliu Haţieganu, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Research Question: Are the combined genotypes and haplotypes of vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms (FokI, ApaI and TaqI) associated with susceptibility to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and metabolic features of the disease?
Design: This case-control study included 46 women with PCOS and 48 controls. Genotypes of the VDR gene were determined using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Waist circumference, and parameters of lipid and glucose metabolism were evaluated in all women.
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