INTRODUCTION: The present study investigates the clinical, hormonal and biochemical differences between patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), patients with polycystic ovary image (PCO-like) and a normal control group with no polycystic image syndrome.
METHODS: Included in the study were 238 patients who presented to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Eskisehir Osmangazi University between December 2012 and December 2013 with complaints of infertility. A physical and pelvic examination of all patients was performed and their ovaries were evaluated with TVUS, and blood samples were taken for hormonal tests. The patients were categorized into three groups based on their clinical and endocrinological characteristics as: 77 cases with PCOS, 74 cases with PCO-like findings and 87 cases recruited as normal controls.
RESULTS: BMI and the rate of android obesity was found to be higher in patients with PCOS. Clinical and laboratory findings of hyperandrogenism were more commonly encountered in patients with PCOS. FG scores were found to be increased, and correlated with BMI, waist / hip ratio, free blood testosterone (fT) and total testosterone (TT) (p<0.001). AFC decreased in the control group with increased age (p=0,003) but no such association found in the PCOS (p=0.216) and PCO-like group (p=0.876).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Not every patient identified with a PCO image on ultrasonography has PCOS, and so clinical, hormonal and biochemical properties should be evaluated in detail when patients with PCO-like findings are encountered, and they should be differentiated from patients with PCOS. Patients with PCOS should be evaluated in detail and followed-up to prevent long-term complications.