Anthropometric, clinical and laboratory comparison of four phenotypes of polycystic ovary syndrome based on Rotterdam criteria

AIM: To compare all phenotypes of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) for anthropometrical, hormonal, and metabolic differences according to Rotterdam criteria. MATERIAL & METHODS: Women with PCOS (Rotterdam definition; n = 127) and women without PCOS used as controls (n = 44). There were four phenotypes of PCOS: 56/127 (44.09%) of the patients were polycystic ovaries on ultrasound (PCO) + oligo or anovulation (O) + biochemical and/or clinical hyperandrogenism (HA), 29/127 (22.84%) were HA+O, 24/127 (18.90%) were PCO+O and 18/127 (14.17%) were HA+PCO. And 42/127 (33.07%) patients represented the new phenotypes (PCO+O and HA+PCO). Phenotypical, hormonal and metabolic parameters were compared between the groups. RESULTS: Waist-to-hip ratio, luteinizing hormone-to-follicle stimulating hormone ratio, testosterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrostenedione were lower in women with PCO+O and controls than the other three phenotypes. The highest score regarding hirsutismus was found in the HA+O phenotype and the lowest score in the PCO+O phenotype. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and degree of insulin resistance in PCO+O phenotype was closer to control subjects than the other three phenotypes. CONCLUSIONS: Anthropometrical, hormonal, and metabolic differences suggest that PCO+O phenotype is closer to control group than the other PCOS phenotypes.