Increased peripheral androgen activity in infertile Korean women with polycystic ovaries

The present investigation was designed to determine whether infertile women with polycystic ovaries (PCO) have sonographic or endocrinological differe nces compared with women with PCO proven to be fertile. Sonographic morphol ogy of the ovary was not significantly different between the groups. Howeve r, serum concentrations of 3 alpha-androstanediol glucuronide (3 alpha-diol G) were significantly higher in infertile women with PCO than in those prov en to be fertile. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was noted between 3 alpha-diolG and luteinizing hormone (LH) in infertile women, but not in those who were fertile. The higher correlation between serum 3 alph a-diolG concentrations and serum LH concentrations seen in infertile women with PCO, with the lack of a significant difference in LH concentrations be tween infertile and fertile women, suggests that serum 3 alpha-diolG may be a leading cause of subfertility in women with PCO, Accordingly, our eviden ce for increased 3 alpha-diolG in the infertile group needs to be confirmed by further studies, including direct 5 alpha-reductase assay, adrenal func tion tests and evaluation of hepatic conjugation activity.