Free Testosterone Reflects Metabolic as well as Ovarian Disturbances in Subfertile Oligomenorrheic Women
Background. Diagnosing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is based on ovulatory dysfunction, ovarian ultrasound data, and androgen excess. Total testosterone is frequently used to identify androgen excess, but testosterone is mainly bound to sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and albumin. Only 1-2% o...
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| Format: | Article |
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Wiley
2018-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Endocrinology |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/7956951 |
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| author | L. Antonio S. Pauwels M. R. Laurent D. Vanschoubroeck I. Jans J. Billen F. Claessens B. Decallonne Diane De Neubourg P. Vermeersch D. Vanderschueren |
| author_facet | L. Antonio S. Pauwels M. R. Laurent D. Vanschoubroeck I. Jans J. Billen F. Claessens B. Decallonne Diane De Neubourg P. Vermeersch D. Vanderschueren |
| author_sort | L. Antonio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background. Diagnosing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is based on ovulatory dysfunction, ovarian ultrasound data, and androgen excess. Total testosterone is frequently used to identify androgen excess, but testosterone is mainly bound to sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and albumin. Only 1-2% of nonprotein-bound testosterone (so-called free testosterone) is biologically active and responsible for androgen action. Moreover, automated immunoassays which are frequently used for female testosterone measurements are inaccurate. Objective. To assess the clinical usefulness of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry measured testosterone and calculated free testosterone in subfertile women attending a fertility clinic with oligomenorrhea and suspected PCOS. Methods. Hormonal and metabolic parameters were evaluated, and ovarian ultrasound was performed. Total testosterone was measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Free testosterone was calculated from total testosterone and SHBG. Results. Sixty-six women were included in the study. Total testosterone was associated with ovarian volume and antral follicle count but not with metabolic parameters. However, SHBG and calculated free testosterone were associated with both ovarian ultrasound and metabolic parameters, such as BMI and insulin resistance. Conclusions. Assessing SHBG and free testosterone is important in evaluating androgen excess in subfertile women with ovulatory dysfunction and suspected PCOS, as it reflects both ovarian and metabolic disturbances. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e40bb8edd7b0494da67c7f90d9a098f2 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1687-8337 1687-8345 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Endocrinology |
| spelling | doaj-art-e40bb8edd7b0494da67c7f90d9a098f22025-08-20T02:21:34ZengWileyInternational Journal of Endocrinology1687-83371687-83452018-01-01201810.1155/2018/79569517956951Free Testosterone Reflects Metabolic as well as Ovarian Disturbances in Subfertile Oligomenorrheic WomenL. Antonio0S. Pauwels1M. R. Laurent2D. Vanschoubroeck3I. Jans4J. Billen5F. Claessens6B. Decallonne7Diane De Neubourg8P. Vermeersch9D. Vanderschueren10Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing (CHROMETA), Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, KU Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumDepartment of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology, KU Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumDepartment of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology, KU Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumDepartment of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing (CHROMETA), Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, KU Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumDepartment of Reproductive Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, BelgiumDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumDepartment of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing (CHROMETA), Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, KU Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumBackground. Diagnosing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is based on ovulatory dysfunction, ovarian ultrasound data, and androgen excess. Total testosterone is frequently used to identify androgen excess, but testosterone is mainly bound to sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and albumin. Only 1-2% of nonprotein-bound testosterone (so-called free testosterone) is biologically active and responsible for androgen action. Moreover, automated immunoassays which are frequently used for female testosterone measurements are inaccurate. Objective. To assess the clinical usefulness of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry measured testosterone and calculated free testosterone in subfertile women attending a fertility clinic with oligomenorrhea and suspected PCOS. Methods. Hormonal and metabolic parameters were evaluated, and ovarian ultrasound was performed. Total testosterone was measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Free testosterone was calculated from total testosterone and SHBG. Results. Sixty-six women were included in the study. Total testosterone was associated with ovarian volume and antral follicle count but not with metabolic parameters. However, SHBG and calculated free testosterone were associated with both ovarian ultrasound and metabolic parameters, such as BMI and insulin resistance. Conclusions. Assessing SHBG and free testosterone is important in evaluating androgen excess in subfertile women with ovulatory dysfunction and suspected PCOS, as it reflects both ovarian and metabolic disturbances.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/7956951 |
| spellingShingle | L. Antonio S. Pauwels M. R. Laurent D. Vanschoubroeck I. Jans J. Billen F. Claessens B. Decallonne Diane De Neubourg P. Vermeersch D. Vanderschueren Free Testosterone Reflects Metabolic as well as Ovarian Disturbances in Subfertile Oligomenorrheic Women International Journal of Endocrinology |
| title | Free Testosterone Reflects Metabolic as well as Ovarian Disturbances in Subfertile Oligomenorrheic Women |
| title_full | Free Testosterone Reflects Metabolic as well as Ovarian Disturbances in Subfertile Oligomenorrheic Women |
| title_fullStr | Free Testosterone Reflects Metabolic as well as Ovarian Disturbances in Subfertile Oligomenorrheic Women |
| title_full_unstemmed | Free Testosterone Reflects Metabolic as well as Ovarian Disturbances in Subfertile Oligomenorrheic Women |
| title_short | Free Testosterone Reflects Metabolic as well as Ovarian Disturbances in Subfertile Oligomenorrheic Women |
| title_sort | free testosterone reflects metabolic as well as ovarian disturbances in subfertile oligomenorrheic women |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/7956951 |
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