OBJECTIVES. To identify the characteristics of Hong Kong Chinese women with polycystic ovarian syndrome and to compare different diagnostic criteria.

DESIGN. Retrospective study.

SETTING. Gynae-endocrinology Clinics in the Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong.

PATIENTS. Ninety Hong Kong Chinese women with polycystic ovarian syndrome who were diagnosed according to the hospital's criteria.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES. Prevalence of typical features of polycystic ovarian syndrome, including anovulation and hyperandrogenism (with other endocrine causes excluded), polycystic ovarian features on ultrasonography, luteinising hormone predominance, obesity, and insulin resistance.

RESULTS. Almost all (98.9%) patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome presented with anovulation, only 48.9% of them had clinical or biochemical evidence of hyperandrogenism. Typical ultrasound appearances of polycystic ovaries were observed in 86.7% of patients. Luteinising hormone predominance and insulin resistance were demonstrated in 67.8% and 40.7% of the cohort, respectively. Eight-six (95.6%) patients should have also been diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome based on the 2003 Rotterdam new criteria. About 60% of patients who screened positive for insulin resistance had normal fasting serum glucose levels. The same proportion who had full screening for insulin resistance by oral glucose tolerance tests and fasting serum glucose to insulin ratios had discordant results of these two tests.

CONCLUSIONS. The 2003 Rotterdam new diagnostic criteria for polycystic ovarian syndrome are generally applicable to the Hong Kong Chinese population. Early detection of insulin resistance in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome can be ensured by performing an oral glucose tolerance test combined with measurement of fasting serum glucose to insulin ratio.

Key words: Chinese; Polycystic ovarian syndrome; Reference standards

View this abstract indexed in MEDLINE: