Hormonal changes in patients with polycystic ovarian disease after ovarian electrocautery or pituitary desensitization.

Eleven patients with polycystic ovarian disease (PCO) were treated by laparoscopic ovarian electrocautery and nine with a long-acting luteinizing hormone releasing agonist (LHRH-A) for 8 weeks. Both groups showed equivalent significant decreases in their 6-h mean values of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T) measured in 25 samples collected every 15 min. Patients treated with ovarian electrocautery showed significant increases in their 6-h mean values of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and insulin with variable oestradiol (E2) responses. The magnitude of change following treatment was significantly greater for LH than for FSH. Buserelin medication did not cause persistent significant changes in the levels of insulin or FSH but it did cause a significant reduction in the 6-h mean values of E2. We conclude that LH is the gonadotrophin primarily affected after pituitary desensitization and ovarian electrocautery. Furthermore, there is no direct correlation between the levels of circulating insulin and testosterone in patients with PCO.