Relationship between serum müllerian-inhibiting substance and other reproductive hormones in untreated women with polycystic ovary syndrome and normal women.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the relationship of serum müllerian-inhibiting substance (MIS), E(2), free-T, LH, and FSH in untreated women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and in women with normal menstrual cycles.

DESIGN

A prospective study.

SETTING

University Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Surgery.

PATIENT(S): Twenty-seven women with PCOS and 20 women with normal menstrual cycles.

INTERVENTION(S): Serum was collected from women with PCOS and from normal women during the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, stored frozen until assayed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Serum levels of MIS, E(2), free-T, TSH, LH, and FSH were measured.

RESULT(S): Serum müllerian-inhibiting substance levels in PCOS patients were significantly higher compared with normal women (+/- SE; 5.3 +/- 0.7 and 1.4 +/- 0.2 ng/mL, respectively). An inverse correlation (r = -0.5965) was found between serum levels of MIS and E(2) in PCOS women, but not in normal women. Women with PCOS had higher serum LH levels than those of normal women (15.2 +/- 1.2 and 5.0 +/- 0.7 mIU/mL).

CONCLUSION

In this study, women with PCOS have significantly higher serum MIS levels than normal women. The inverse relationship between müllerian-inhibiting substance and E(2) levels suggests that MIS may modulate ovarian E(2) synthesis and have a role in the disordered folliculogenesis characteristic of PCOS.