Hirsutism and Acanthosis Nigricans Are the Most Reliable Markers of PCOS, finds study

From PracticeUpdate:

74th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology; March 8, 2016—Washington DC

Timothy Hunter Schmidt, MD, PhD, of the University of California, San Francisco, and a research team led by Kanade Shinkai, MD, PhD set out to identify cutaneous and systemic features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to help distinguish women who do and do not meet diagnostic criteria. Dr. Shinkai said, “We undertook the study to better understand the skin manifestations of polycystic ovary syndrome. It was the first study to systematically characterize the detailed skin findings of this disease in a large, racially diverse cohort of women.”

The team studied a racially diverse referred sample of women seen at their polycystic ovary syndrome multidisciplinary clinic over a 6-year period between 2006 and 2012.

The team concluded that:

•  Hirsutism and acanthosis nigricans are the most reliable cutaneous markers of polycystic ovary syndrome and require a comprehensive skin examination to diagnose. 
• When present, hirsutism and acanthosis nigricans should raise clinical concern that warrants further diagnostic evaluation for metabolic comorbidities that may lead to long-term complications. 
• Acne & androgenic alopecia are prevalent but unreliable markers of biochemical hyper androgenism in this population.
• “A significant result of the study is that it helps identify key skin features that distinguish women with polycystic ovary syndrome from those suspected of having the syndrome but do not have the disease. This information will hopefully improve the diagnostic accuracy of clinicians assessing these patients (and also avoid unnecessary diagnostic workup of women who do not need it).” 
• “Future directions include understanding the skin findings in subtypes of polycystic ovary syndrome and also, the best medical and surgical treatments for the syndrome.”

PCOS in Indian Women

1 in 5 Indian women suffer from PCOS and those aged 15 to 30 years were at higher risk - according to a study conducted in September 2015.

One in five Indian women suffer from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a condition characterised by hormonal imbalance, leading to difficulties in conceiving, according to a study.
The study conducted by Metropolis healthcare also stated that women in the age group of 15-30 years were at high risk.
For the study, some 27,411 samples were tested over a period of 18 months.
"The increasing trend of PCOS is predominantly seen in the age group 15 to 30 years. Out of 27,411 samples, around 4,824, (17.60 percent) of the females face hormonal associated risk with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome," said the report.
PCOS is a problem in which a woman's hormones are out of balance due to which several cysts are formed in the ovary. It can interfere with women's menstrual cycle and make it difficult to get pregnant. PCOS may also cause unwanted changes in the way women look.
The study said that among the samples tested, east India showed alarming levels of 25.88 percent women affected by PCOS, followed by 18.62 percent in north India, which can be largely attributed to lack of awareness among young women.
"Undiagnosed PCOS can lead to infertility and in long term can cause several health complications; which can be attributed to other factors as well. Early diagnosis and treatment can help control the symptoms and prevent health related problems," said Sonali Kolte, general manager, Medico Marketing, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd.

Source:  http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/one-in-five-indian-women-suffer-from-pcos-study-115090100766_1.html