PCOS is a highly prevalent reproductive disorder characterized by hyperandrogenism (HA) and oligo/anovulation. PCOS is also associated with metabolic syndrome, obesity and insulin resistance. In young women with PCOS, several factors contribute to HA: a) excess LH secretion, b) abnormal ovarian steroidogenesis, c) abnormal adrenal steroidogenesis, and d) hyperinsulinemia/ insulin resistance. Of interest, HA (and menstrual function) improves with age in PCOS. However, the relative contributions of the aforementioned HA-related factors in young adult vs. late reproductive-aged women with PCOS are not known. Identifying the most important predictor(s) of HA in older women with PCOS will be critically important for devising the most relevant therapeutic strategies for older women with PCOS. The investigators propose to determine the relative contributions of four established predictors of HA (LH secretion, ovarian response to r-hCG administration, adrenal response to ACTH administration, and hyperinsulinemia) in older vs. young women with PCOS in a physiological study. The investigators hypothesize that hyperinsulinemia is a stronger independent predictor of free testosterone (T) in older reproductive aged (vs. young) women with PCOS. In addition, the investigators hypothesize that, in older vs. young women with PCOS: a) ovarian response to r-hCG will be a weaker independent predictor of free T; b) mean LH will be a stronger independent predictor of free T; and c) the predictive ability of adrenal response to ACTH will be similar. This will be a cross-sectional physiological study. Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression will be utilized to determine the relative contributions of 4 established predictors of HA in older vs. young women with PCOS. Statistical plans include intra-age group hypothesis testing, inter-age group hypothesis testing, and a ranking of the importance of predictors in each age group.
The objective of the study is to determine the relative contributions of four established predictors of hyperandrogenism (luteinizing hormone [LH] secretion, ovarian response to recombinant human chorionic gonadotropin [r-hCG] administration, adrenal response to adrenocorticotropic hormone [ACTH] administration, and hyperinsulinemia) in older vs. young women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in a cross-sectional, physiological study. The investigators hypothesize that hyperinsulinemia is a stronger independent predictor of free testosterone (T) in older reproductive aged (vs. young) women with PCOS.