Feng JG, et al. - This analysis contemplated the biochemical and metabolic parameters in association with cutaneous characteristics of women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A strong link was displayed between hirsutism and metabolic abnormalities. Hirsutism was discovered to be the most common cutaneous finding in PCOS women. The findings revealed that acne and androgenic alopecia (AGA) correlated with other symptoms of clinical hyperandrogenism, but not obvious markers of biochemical hyperandrogenemia and metabolic dysfunction.

Methods

• The scheme of this research was a cross-sectional retrospective study.
• It recruited 186 women with PCOS and 113 age-matched without PCOS women.
• Acne grade, hirsutism, seborrhea, AGA, and AN were recorded.
• An estimation was performed of the hormonal and metabolic parameters.

Results

• Acne appeared to occurr most frequently.
• AN served as the least occurring dermatological manifestations between PCOS and non-PCOS groups.
• There was no variation between the severity location and type of acne in PCOS women compared to non-PCOS women.
• There were notable changed in terms of free androgen index (FAI) (P = .036), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) (P = .023), and body mass index (BMI) (P = .001) between PCOS with acne and PCOS without acne groups. Age (P = .005) was markedly decreased, while BMI (P = .004) was significantly higher in PCOS with hirsutism.
• Marked elevation was noted in the mean serum total testosterone (TT), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and FAI but SHBG was decreased between PCOS with and without hirsutism groups.
• Prominently varying levels of BMI (P = .018) and triglyceride (P = .024) were found, with the exception of other hormonal parameter of without AGA group.