Context: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have increased androgen secretion throughout fertile life; however, the data on the effect of menopause on hyperandrogenemia in these women are scarce. Nevertheless, large comprehensive comparative studies on age-related androgen levels in women with PCOS are lacking.
Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of age on serum androgen levels in women with PCOS and to determine cutoff values for androgens and SHBG associated with a PCOS diagnosis.
Design: This was a case-control study.
Setting: The study was conducted in five university sites in the Nordic countries.
Patients: In all, 681 women with PCOS and 230 referent women were grouped according to age into seven age groups (18 to > 50 y).
Interventions: There were no interventions.
Main outcome measures: T, SHBG, free androgen index (FAI), calculated free T (cFT), androstenedione (A4), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate were measured.
Results: Androgen levels in women with PCOS decreased with age toward menopause. The difference between women with PCOS and the referent women narrowed and individual variation increased as they approached menopause. T levels, FAI, and cFT were significantly higher in women with PCOS aged 18-44 years (P < .001, adjusted for body mass index). The best predictive factors for having PCOS were cFT (≥0.40 ng/dL, odds ratio [OR] 7.90), FAI (≥2.0, OR 6.71), and A4 (≥277.94 ng/dL, OR 6.16).
Conclusions: Women with PCOS had elevated serum androgen levels also after menopause. The parameters that best predicted PCOS at all ages were cFT, A4, and FAI.