STEROID/ANDROGEN PROFILE FOR POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME (PCOS)

THE DIAGNOSIS OF POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME (PCOS) IS USUALLY BASED ON THE ROTTERDAM CRITERIA AND RELIES ON AT LEAST TWO OUT OF THE FOLLOWING: POLYCYSTIC OVARIES, OVULATORY DYSFUNCTION, AND HYPERANDROGENISM. FOR EVALUATION OF HYPERANDROGENISM, MEASUREMENT OF TESTOSTERONE IS RECOMMENDED IN ALL OF THE CURRENT CLINICAL GUIDELINES BUT THE TESTOSTERONE LEVELS MEASURED BY DIRECT (NON-EXTRACTION) IMMUNOASSAY OVERLAPS BETWEEN WOMEN WITH AND WITHOUT PCOS. THUS, MEASUREMENT OF OTHER STEROIDS, SUCH AS ANDROSTENEDIONE AND DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE SULFATE (DHEAS), CAN BE USEFUL IN DIAGNOSING PCOS AND MAY GIVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON METABOLIC RISK.