Pathophysiology of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Abstract

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy that affects 8–20% of the reproductive age females and adolescent girls every year worldwide and approximately 5 million cases reported in the USA annually. It is more prevalent in urban areas as compared to the rural areas because of the difference in the lifestyles of rural and urban ladies. Rarely PCOS is passed on by heredity in some cases. It mostly occurs due to a lack of awareness. Its symptoms become mild to severe like initially hirsutism, acne which further leads to irregular periods and infertility. The pathogenesis of PCOS is not known because it is a complex multi-genetic disorder. Ovary and adrenal steroid genesis, the action of steroid hormone, action and regulation of gonadotropin, action, and secretion of insulin, obesity, and regulation of energy in PCOS involve genes. Its main clinical manifestations are insulin resistance and increased level of androgen. Metformin is used to sensitize the insulin because the risk of glucose intolerance also gets elevated with insulin resistance, type-2 diabetes, and lipid abnormalities. Likely, the outcome of different, deeply interrelated genetic abnormalities that influence each other and perpetuate the syndrome may be represented by PCOS.