Male PCOS equivalent and nutritional restriction: Are we stepping forward?

Remarks on the Hormonal Background of the Male Equivalent of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

The hypothesis that the most common female endocrine disease, the polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), has a male equivalent, has recently become more widely accepted. The male form of PCOS is marked by alterations in the secretion of gonadotropins, increased insulin resistance, and changes of the levels of several steroid hormones, with clinical manifestations including premature androgenic alopecia (AGA). Because these symptoms are not always found in men with genetic predispositions, knowledge of the male equivalent of PCOS needs to be supplemented by measurements of adrenal 11-oxygenated C19 steroids, particularly 11-keto-, and 11β-hydroxy-derivatives of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone, by focusing on the newly-realized role of skin as an endocrine organ, and by confirming any age-related factors in glucose metabolism disorders in such predisposed men.

Insulin resistance and testosterone level in Indonesian young adult males

INTRODUCTION

Central obesity is characterized by the accumulation of abdominal fat which may lead to several diseases including insulin resistance. The prevalence of central obesity is higher in male and the incidence in young adult males is increased. Central obesity is also related to low testosterone levels. The research aimed to assess the relationship between the testosterone levels and insulin resistance of young adult males with central obesity.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study, the subjects were young adult males of 18 to 25 years old. The central obesity consisted of 50 samples and non-central obesity comprised 70 samples. The examination of testosterone and insulin was performed by the ECLIA method, glucose used the enzymatic method, the insulin resistance was calculated by using the HOMA-IR index.

RESULTS

The mean of the testosterone level in central obesity was lower than non-central obesity (5.24 + 1.17 vs 7.18 + 1.54 ng/mL, p < 0.001). HOMA-IR index in central obesity was higher than non-central obesity (4.29 + 2.23 vs 2.46 + 1.72, p < 0.001). Testosterone levels had negative correlation with HOMA-IR (r = -0.470, p < 0.001). There was significant difference in HOMA-IR among the quartiles of testosterone levels.

CONCLUSION

There is negative correlation between testosterone level with HOMA-IR, the lower the testosterone level the higher the insulin resistance in young adult males.

Significance of Homocysteine Levels in the Management of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: A Literature Review

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a complex disorder involving cardiovascular, metabolic, endocrine, and reproductive systems. Even though the exact etiology is not clear, many studies suggest genetic and environmental factors play a role. Homocysteine (Hcy) is considered to be an independent risk factor for atherogenic and thrombotic components of various systems. Many studies in the past have evaluated Hcy levels in the PCOS population. This article aims to elaborate on the importance of Hcy levels in the overall management of PCOS. We conducted a PubMed data search using combined keywords PCOS and homocysteine levels and manually screened relevant articles for the review while avoiding duplication of data. After the literature review, we analyzed the relationship between homocysteine levels and various components of PCOS. Most of the studies identified a statistically significant elevation in Hcy levels in PCOS women with insulin resistance, androgen excess, elevated markers of cardiovascular risk, recurrent pregnancy loss, and metformin treatment. We also examined studies that focused on treating hyperhomocysteinemia (Hhcy) in PCOS women. However, because of the limited sample sizes and various inclusion criteria used for subjects in the studies, their clinical implication is unclear in routine practice. Furthermore, we encourage clinicians to follow up on Hcy levels in PCOS women at high risk for any complications in their management course. We believe an observational study on a larger scale in a well-defined PCOS population would be useful to uncover the prevalence of elevated Hcy levels in PCOS women, which would help pave the way for establishing treatment guidelines on serum Hcy levels in PCOS management.

Male Equivalent Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: Hormonal, Metabolic, and Clinical Aspects

Recent studies identified the presence of a male polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which mainly affects men whose female relatives are afflicted with PCOS, caused by genes responsible for the susceptibility of this syndrome in women. Similar hormonal, metabolic, and clinical alterations occurring in PCOS women have also been reported in their male relatives, suggesting a association between the male and female forms of the syndrome. Although the remarkable clinical manifestation of the male equivalent PCOS is diagnosed by the early-onset androgenetic alopecia, characterized by hair recession, pronounced hypertrichosis, insulin resistance, biochemical and hormonal abnormalities, the hormonal/metabolic profile is still controversial. Men affected by early-onset androgenetic alopecia (AGA) are at risk of developing hyperinsulinemia, insulin-resistance, dyslipidaemia, and cardiovascular diseases. However, there is no consensus on the association of male equivalent PCOS with hypertension and obesity. Moreover, reduced levels of sex hormone-binding globulin have been detected in these male patients, accompanied by increased free androgens. Conversely, literature reported lower concentrations of testosterone in male equivalent PCOS when compared with the normal range, indicating a crucial role for the conversion of cortical androgens. Finally, further studies are warranted to investigate a possible link among AGA, metabolic/hormonal alterations, and acne. Our study assessed the hormo- nal, metabolic and clinical aspects of male equivalent PCOS syndrome reported in the literature to evaluate similar and divergent elements involved in the female version of the syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and COVID-19: an overlooked female patient population at potentially higher risk during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

In women of reproductive age, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) constitutes the most frequent endocrine disorder. Women with PCOS are considered to typically belong to an age and sex group which is at lower risk for severe COVID-19.

MAIN BODY

Emerging data link the risk of severe COVID-19 with certain factors such as hyper-inflammation, ethnicity predisposition, low vitamin D levels, and hyperandrogenism, all of which have known direct associations with PCOS. Moreover, in this common female patient population, there is markedly high prevalence of multiple cardio-metabolic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and hypertension, which may significantly increase the risk for adverse COVID-19-related outcomes. This strong overlap of risk factors for both worse PCOS cardio-metabolic manifestations and severe COVID-19 should be highlighted for the clinical practice, particularly since women with PCOS often receive fragmented care from multiple healthcare services. Comprehensively informing women with PCOS regarding the potential risks from COVID-19 and how this may affect their management is also essential.

CONCLUSION

Despite the immense challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak to the healthcare systems in affected countries, attention should be directed to maintain a high standard of care for complex patients such as many women with PCOS and provide relevant practical recommendations for optimal management in the setting of this fast moving pandemic.

The Association Between Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Its Dermatological Manifestations

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) commonly occurs in reproductive-age females. It elevates the hormonal levels, creates an imbalance in the metabolic system, and affects their reproductive system too. A number of studies have been conducted on PCOS, and it has been diagnosed together with several dermatological conditions. In this paper, we attempt a traditional review to study the relationship between PCOS and its cutaneous manifestations the patients are predisposed to. To uncover this association, we gathered information from English-language articles on the Pubmed database using six keywords. Materials were also collected from studies done on animal models, which helped in putting down all the data together and interlinking them with other studies. From this data collection, it is ultimately concluded that the association between PCOS and dermatological conditions is a very intricate interconnecting network comprising many factors, such as inflammation, genetics, and hormonal. This study raises some questions that are still unanswered. We believe further research is needed to uncover the various facts about this disease and its associations, in order to make its management more effective. As there is a strong association between PCOS and certain dermatological disorders, it is recommended to develop a questionnaire that should be distributed to every woman who presents to dermatology departments with symptoms that are linked to PCOS, as it will help in diagnosing the condition at an early stage.