Human Reproduction, Vol. 16, No. 7, 1359-1364,
July 2001
© 2001 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
Absent biologically relevant associations between serum inhibin B concentrations and characteristics of polycystic ovary syndrome in normogonadotrophic anovulatory infertility
1 Division of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 2 Centre for Clinical Decision Sciences, Department of Public Health and 3 Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
BACKGROUND: Dominant follicle selection is disturbed in normogonadotrophic anovulatory infertility [World Health Organization (WHO) 2] and remaining early antral follicles are either healthy or atretic. This study was conducted to investigate whether inhibin B serum concentrations (produced by healthy small antral follicles) represent the extent of ovarian abnormalities in WHO 2 women and patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), constituting a subgroup of WHO 2 patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Ultrasonographic and endocrine characteristics in 379 WHO 2 patients and 30 normo-ovulatory controls were compared. In the WHO 2 patients, the PCOS subgroup and the controls, inhibin B concentrations were similar. Inhibin B concentrations were weakly but significantly correlated with the total number of ovarian follicles (r = 0.282; P < 0.001), LH (r = 0.347; P < 0.001), and testosterone (r = 0.269; P < 0.001) but not with serum oestradiol concentrations (r = 0.057). Most (71%) patients with elevated inhibin B also presented with increased concentrations of LH and/or hyperandrogenaemia. In a subgroup of 190 subjects, classified as PCOS based on hyperandrogenaemia and polycystic ovaries, elevated inhibin B concentrations were found in 23% of cases. Aforementioned correlations were similar in PCOS as in WHO 2 patients. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, inhibin B serum concentrations are normal in WHO 2 and PCOS women, suggesting a normal number of healthy early antral follicles despite increased overall follicle numbers in PCOS.
Key words: androgens/gonadotrophins/inhibin B/normogonadotrophic anovulatory infertility/PCOS
4To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Division of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands.E-mail: laven{at}gyna.azr.nl
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