Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the commonest endocrine abnormality in women of reproductive age typically presenting with chronic oligo- or anovulation, clinical, or biochemical hyperandrogenism ...and polycystic ovarian morphology (PCOM). Restoring mono-ovulation is the ultimate goal of ovulation induction and most women do respond to ovulation inducing agents causing their Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels to rise. Familial clustering and the results from twin studies strongly support an underlying genetic basis for PCOS. Recent Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have identified several genetic variants being genome wide significantly associated with PCOS. Amongst those are variants in or near the Luteinizing hormone (LH) and FSH receptor genes as well as a variant in the FSH-β gene. The aim of this review is to summarize the available evidence as to whether single nucleotide polymorphisms are able to modify the PCOS phenotype or whether they constitute a risk factor for the syndrome. Data on the role of FSHR polymorphisms in PCOS are conflicting. It seems that in large Chinese studies FSHR polymorphisms are not associated with either PCOS risk or with PCOS treatment outcome. However, in large scale studies in Caucasians these polymorphisms seem to influence the risk of having PCOS. Moreover, these studies also showed that some polymorphisms might affect some clinical features of PCOS as well as treatment outcome. Although most research has focussed on the role of FSHR polymorphisms there seems to be also some evidence showing that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the LHCG-Receptor as well as those in FSH-β gene might also alter the phenotype of PCOS. In conclusion most studies confirm that FSHR polymorphisms do alter the phenotype of PCOS in that they either alter the response to exogenous FSH or hat they increase the risk of having PCOS.
Context:
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed new susceptibility loci for Chinese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Because ethnic background adds to phenotypic ...diversities in PCOS, it seems plausible that genetic variants associated with PCOS act differently in various ethnic populations.
Objective:
We studied cross-ethnic effects of Chinese PCOS loci (ie, LHCGR, THADA, DENND1A, FSHR, c9orf3, YAP1, RAB5B/SUOX, HMGA2, TOX3, INSR, SUMO1P1) in patients of Northern European descent.
Design:
This study was a genetic association study conducted at an University Medical Center.
Patients:
Association was studied in 703 Dutch PCOS patients and 2164 Dutch controls. To assess the cross-ethnic effect, we performed a meta-analysis of the Dutch data combined with results of previously published studies in PCOS patients from China (n = 2254) and the United States (n = 2618). Adjusted for multiple testing, a P value <3.1 × 10−3 was considered statistically significant.
Results:
Meta-analysis of the Chinese, US, and Dutch data resulted in 12 significant variants mapping to the YAP1 (P value = 1.0× 10−9), RAB5B/SUOX (P value = 3.8 × 10−11), LHCGR (P value = 4.1 × 10−4), THADA (P value = 2.2 × 10−4 and P value = 1.3 × 10−3), DENND1A (P value = 2.3 × 10−3 and P value = 2.5 × 10−3), FSHR (P value = 3.8 × 10−5 and P value = 3.6 × 10−4), c9orf3 (P value = 2.0 × 10−6 and P value = 9.2 × 10−6), SUMO1P1 (P value = 2.3 × 10−3) loci with odds ratios ranging from 1.19 to 1.45 and 0.79 to 0.87.
Conclusions:
Overall, we observed for 12 of 17 genetic variants mapping to the Chinese PCOS loci similar effect size and identical direction in PCOS patients from Northern European ancestry, indicating a common genetic risk profile for PCOS across populations. Therefore, it is expected that large GWAS in PCOS patients from Northern European ancestry will partly identify similar loci as the GWAS in Chinese PCOS patients.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in females, with a high prevalence. The etiology of this heterogeneous condition remains obscure, and its phenotype expression ...varies. Two widely cited previous ESHRE/ASRM sponsored PCOS consensus workshops focused on diagnosis (published in 2004) and infertility management (published in 2008), respectively. The present third PCOS consensus report summarizes current knowledge and identifies knowledge gaps regarding various women’s health aspects of PCOS. Relevant topics addressed—all dealt with in a systematic fashion—include adolescence, hirsutism and acne, contraception, menstrual cycle abnormalities, quality of life, ethnicity, pregnancy complications, long-term metabolic and cardiovascular health, and finally cancer risk. Additional, comprehensive background information is provided separately in an extended online publication.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects 5-20% of women of reproductive age worldwide. The condition is characterized by hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction and polycystic ovarian morphology ...(PCOM) - with excessive androgen production by the ovaries being a key feature of PCOS. Metabolic dysfunction characterized by insulin resistance and compensatory hyperinsulinaemia is evident in the vast majority of affected individuals. PCOS increases the risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes and other pregnancy-related complications, venous thromboembolism, cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events and endometrial cancer. PCOS is a diagnosis of exclusion, based primarily on the presence of hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction and PCOM. Treatment should be tailored to the complaints and needs of the patient and involves targeting metabolic abnormalities through lifestyle changes, medication and potentially surgery for the prevention and management of excess weight, androgen suppression and/or blockade, endometrial protection, reproductive therapy and the detection and treatment of psychological features. This Primer summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding the epidemiology, mechanisms and pathophysiology, diagnosis, screening and prevention, management and future investigational directions of the disorder.
Primary Ovarian Insufficiency Laven, Joop S E
Seminars in reproductive medicine,
07/2016, Letnik:
34, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), also known as premature ovarian failure or premature menopause, is defined as cessation of menstruation before the expected age of menopause. Potential etiologies ...for POI can be divided into genetic, autoimmune, and iatrogenic categories. This review will try to summarize the genetic basis of POI focusing on recent data that are available using newer genetic techniques such as genome-wide association studies, whole-exome sequencing (WES), or next-generation sequencing techniques. By using these techniques, many genes have arisen that play some role in the pathophysiology of POI. Some of them have been replicated in other studies; however, the majority has not been proven yet to be unequivocally causative through functional validation studies. Elucidating the genetic and molecular basis of POI is of paramount importance not only in understanding ovarian physiology but also in providing genetic counseling and fertility guidance. Once additional variants are detected, it might become possible to predict the age of (premature) menopause in women at risk for POI. Women having certain perturbations of POI can be offered the option of oocyte cryopreservation, with later thawing and use in assisted reproductive technology at an appropriate age.
In women, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is exclusively produced by granulosa cells of ovarian follicles during the early stages of follicle development. After an initial increase until early ...adulthood, AMH concentrations slowly decrease with increasing age until becoming undetectable ∼5 years before menopause when the stock of primordial follicles is exhausted. However, major individual variability exists in the pace of follicle pool depletion and the initial size of the follicle pool, reflected by a wide range of age at menopause. Individual AMH serum concentration does accurately reflect the size of the pool of antral follicles, representing the quantity of the remaining primordial follicles. Accordingly, AMH levels may vary significantly in women of the same chronological age, allowing AMH to predict the remaining length of a woman's reproductive lifespan.
Following 10 years of intense clinical research in this area (with over 300 papers published in core clinical journals every year), the level of evidence justifying use of AMH in ovarian reserve testing is rapidly increasing. We have conducted a summarizing review regarding all evidence published.
Many studies have convincingly demonstrated that AMH is the best currently available measure of ovarian reserve under a variety of clinical situations, such as infertility treatment (especially IVF), the forecasting of reproductive lifespan, ovarian dysfunction (especially polycystic ovary syndrome) and gonadotoxic cancer treatment or ovarian surgery. Moreover, AMH may help to individualize dosing for ovarian stimulation thereby improving the efficiency and safety of IVF. However, there are concerns about the performance of the AMH assay under different conditions regarding storage of samples and handling techniques. Therefore an international guideline for laboratories and a reference preparation are needed to make test results between laboratories truly comparable.
AMH is the best current available measure of ovarian reserve for different clinical conditions. However, prospective well powered studies comparing different infertility treatment strategies based on initial AMH levels using appropriate end-points, such as live birth and cost-effectiveness, are urgently awaited. Such studies could represent a true step forward in rendering counseling and infertility care more patient tailored.
Polycystic ovary syndrome is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. It is a complex disease in which genetic, endocrine, environmental, and behavioral factors are ...intertwined, giving rise to a heterogeneous phenotype with reproductive, metabolic, and psychological characteristics. Polycystic ovary syndrome affects women’s health and their quality of life across the life course. During different life stages, the polycystic ovary syndrome phenotype can change, which requires a personalized diagnostic approach and treatment. Polycystic ovary syndrome is a major cause of anovulatory infertility; this disorder is also associated with hirsutism and acne. Diagnosing polycystic ovary syndrome during adolescence is challenging because the polycystic ovary syndrome criteria include normal physiological events that occur during puberty. With increasing age, the syndrome evolves from a reproductive disease to a more metabolic disorder. Along with metabolic disturbances, including insulin resistance and abnormalities of energy expenditure, polycystic ovary syndrome is recognized as a major risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in later life. Moreover, there is evidence for familial clustering of endocrine and metabolic features of polycystic ovary syndrome. Environmental factors such as diet and obesity appear to contribute to the phenotype. Treatment should be tailored to the specific concerns and needs of the individual patient and involves restoring fertility, treatment of the metabolic complaints, treatment of androgen excess, and providing endometrial protection. The complexity of the disorder, and the impact on quality of life, requires a timely diagnosis, screening for complications, and management strategies for the long-term health issues associated with polycystic ovary syndrome. The syndrome remains underdiagnosed, and women experience significant delays to diagnosis.
Aims/hypothesis
In this study, we aimed to examine the association between age at natural menopause and risk of type 2 diabetes, and to assess whether this association is independent of potential ...mediators.
Methods
We included 3639 postmenopausal women from the prospective, population-based Rotterdam Study. Age at natural menopause was self-reported retrospectively and was treated as a continuous variable and in categories (premature, <40 years; early, 40–44 years; normal, 45–55 years; and late menopause, >55 years reference). Type 2 diabetes events were diagnosed on the basis of medical records and glucose measurements from Rotterdam Study visits. HRs and 95% CIs were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for confounding factors; in another model, they were additionally adjusted for potential mediators, including obesity, C-reactive protein, glucose and insulin, as well as for levels of total oestradiol and androgens.
Results
During a median follow-up of 9.2 years, we identified 348 individuals with incident type 2 diabetes. After adjustment for confounders, HRs for type 2 diabetes were 3.7 (95% CI 1.8, 7.5), 2.4 (95% CI 1.3, 4.3) and 1.60 (95% CI 1.0, 2.8) for women with premature, early and normal menopause, respectively, relative to those with late menopause (
p
trend
<0.001). The HR for type 2 diabetes per 1 year older at menopause was 0.96 (95% CI 0.94, 0.98). Further adjustment for BMI, glycaemic traits, metabolic risk factors, C-reactive protein, endogenous sex hormone levels or shared genetic factors did not affect this association.
Conclusions/interpretation
Early onset of natural menopause is an independent marker for type 2 diabetes in postmenopausal women.
BACKGROUND
The incidence of overweight and obesity in men of reproductive ages is rising, which may affect fertility. Therefore, this study aims to assess the associations between BMI, central ...adiposity and sperm parameters in men of subfertile couples.
METHODS
Ejaculate volume (ml), sperm concentration (millions per ml), percentage of progressive motile and immotile spermatozoa and total motile sperm count (millions) were measured in 450 men of subfertile couples visiting a tertiary outpatient clinic for reproductive treatment and preconception counseling.
RESULTS
Overweight was negatively associated with the percentage of progressive motility type A β −0.32 (SE 0.2), P = 0.036 and positively associated with the percentage of immotility type C β 0.21 (SE 0.07), P = 0.002. Obesity was negatively associated with ejaculate volume β −0.23 (SE 0.1), P = 0.02, sperm concentration β −0.77 (SE 0.3), P = 0.006 and total motile sperm count β −0.91 (SE 0.3), P = 0.007. Waist circumference ≥102 cm, a measure for central adiposity, was inversely associated with sperm concentration β −0.69 (SE 0.2), P = 0.001 and total motile sperm count β −0.62 (SE 0.3), P = 0.02. All associations remained significant after adjustment for age, ethnicity, active and passive smoking, alcohol and medication use and folate status.
CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that in particular, sperm concentration and total motile sperm count in men of subfertile couples are detrimentally affected by a high BMI and central adiposity. The effect of weight loss on sperm quality and fertility needs further investigation.
As many as 10% of women experience natural menopause by the age of 45 years. If confirmed, an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality associated with premature and ...early-onset menopause could be an important factor affecting risk of disease and mortality among middle-aged and older women.
To systematically review and meta-analyze studies evaluating the effect of age at onset of menopause and duration since onset of menopause on intermediate CVD end points, CVD outcomes, and all-cause mortality.
Medical databases (ie, Medline, EMBASE, and Web of Science) until March 2015.
Studies (ie, observational cohort, case-control, or cross-sectional) that assessed age at onset of menopause and/or time since onset of menopause as exposures as well as risk of cardiovascular outcomes and intermediate CVD end points in perimenopausal, menopausal, or postmenopausal women.
Studies were sought if they were observational cohort, case-control, or cross-sectional studies; reported on age at onset of menopause and/or time since onset of menopause as exposures; and assessed associations with risk of CVD-related outcomes, all-cause mortality, or intermediate CVD end points. Data were extracted by 2 independent reviewers using a predesigned data collection form. The inverse-variance weighted method was used to combine relative risks to produce a pooled relative risk using random-effects models to allow for between-study heterogeneity.
Cardiovascular disease outcomes (ie, composite CVD, fatal and nonfatal coronary heart disease CHD, and overall stroke and stroke mortality), CVD mortality, all-cause mortality, and intermediate CVD end points.
Of the initially identified references, 32 studies were selected that included 310 329 nonoverlapping women. Outcomes were compared between women who experienced menopause younger than 45 years and women 45 years or older at onset; the relative risks (95% CIs) were 1.50 (1.28-1.76) for overall CHD, 1.11 (1.03-1.20) for fatal CHD, 1.23 (0.98-1.53) for overall stroke, 0.99 (0.92-1.07) for stroke mortality, 1.19 (1.08-1.31) for CVD mortality, and 1.12 (1.03-1.21) for all-cause mortality. Outcomes were also compared between women between 50 and 54 years at onset of menopause and women younger than 50 years at onset; there was a decreased risk of fatal CHD (relative risk, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.80-0.96) and no effect on stroke. Time since onset of menopause in relation to risk of developing intermediate cardiovascular traits or CVD outcomes was reported in 4 observational studies with inconsistent results.
The findings of this review indicate a higher risk of CHD, CVD mortality, and overall mortality in women who experience premature or early-onset menopause.