Hyperandrogenemia is implicated in both the metabolic and reproductive morbidities of polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) that are implicated in the associated reproductive and metabolic morbidities.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional case-control study.

SETTING

Academic medical setting.

PATIENT(S): A total of 1,062 women with PCOS and 1,887 women without PCOS.

INTERVENTION(S): None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Physical examination including hirsutism scoring, biochemical and hormone measurements, ovarian ultrasound, and a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test to measure glucose and insulin levels.

RESULT(S): A factor analysis identified four dominant factors in women with PCOS. These factors were interpreted as follows: [1] metabolic and hyperandrogenemia factor, [2] oligomenorrhea and hyperandrogenemia factor, [3] blood pressure factor, and [4] ovarian morphology factor. In women with PCOS, hyperandrogenemia was a significant predictor of metabolic syndrome after adjusting for age, body mass index, and insulin resistance in the regression analysis.

CONCLUSION(S): A factor analysis identified multiple factors that are responsible for the abnormalities associated with PCOS. Hyperandrogenemia was a common underlying feature of the metabolic and reproductive abnormalities in women with PCOS but not in women without PCOS.