Serum anti-mullerian hormone concentrations are elevated in oligomenorrheic girls without evidence of hyperandrogenism.

CONTEXT: Serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels are significantly elevated in adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) compared to normal controls. Whether adolescents with oligomenorrhea have elevated AMH levels is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

This study was performed to assess serum AMH levels in oligomenorrheic (OLIGO) girls without evidence of hyperandrogenism.

DESIGN

This was a prospective study comparing AMH levels in OLIGO, PCOS, and normal control adolescents.

SETTING

The study was conducted through four tertiary academic medical centers.

PARTICIPANTS

The study groups were comprised of OLIGO (n = 24), PCOS (n = 153), and normal adolescent girls (n = 39), as well as PCOS (n = 73) and normal adult women (n = 36).

INTERVENTIONS: In each subject, serum AMH levels were assessed in the early to midfollicular phases for regularly menstruating subjects and on an arbitrary day for OLIGO or PCOS subjects.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Basal serum AMH levels were assessed among OLIGO, PCOS, and normal girls, in addition to PCOS and normal women.

RESULTS

OLIGO girls had serum AMH levels (5.33 +/- 0.47 ng/ml) that were significantly greater than the normal adolescents (3.05 +/- 0.31 ng/ml) and adults (2.33 +/- 0.22 ng/ml), but similar to values seen in the PCOS adolescents (5.28 +/- 0.26 ng/ml) and adults (6.36 +/- 0.47 ng/ml). Obese adolescents and PCOS women had significantly lower AMH levels compared to lean controls (P < 0.02).

CONCLUSION

In OLIGO adolescents, elevated serum AMH levels suggest increased antral follicle number similar to that observed in girls with PCOS.