Epidemiologic investigation of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) in Han ethnic women of reproductive age in Liaoning Province, China.

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE To determine the incidence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) among Han women of reproductive age in Liaoning Province in Northeastern China, based on the Revised Rotterdam 2003 criteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective cohort study was carried out on 1,600 women using questionnaires, physical examination, ultrasonography, and biochemical indices (aged = 19 to 45 years; n = 1,600). PCOS patients were identified using the Revised Rotterdam 2003 criteria. RESULTS A total of 132 Han women of reproductive age were diagnosed with PCOS, with a prevalence of 8.25%. The prevalence of menstrual dysfunction was as follows: 97 patients (73.48%) had abnormal menstruation, three (2.27%) had polymenorrhea, and 94 (71.21%) had oligomenorrhea. Up to 64 patients (48.48%) had androgen excess, 42 (31.82%) had biochemical evidence of androgen excess, and 34 (25.76%) had clinical androgen excess. Up to 34 patients (25.76%) were obese (body mass index [BMI] > or = 25) and 19 (14.39%) had hirsutism (F-G scoring > or = 6). A total of 127 patients (96.22%) were diagnosed with PCOS via ultrasonography, 67 of whom (50.76%) had a unilateral polycystic ovary and 60 (45.46%) had bilateral polycystic ovaries. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of PCOS in this study population was 8.25%, with an infertility rate of 27.8%. The classical manifestation of PCOS is PCO, abnormal menstruation, and obesity. The high-risk factors of PCOS include high free testosterone index, homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), increased serum testosterone and androstenedione, decreased sex hormone-binding globulin, long history of infertility, menarche later than 16 years old, and failure to have regular menstruation within two years.