scholarly journals Polycystic Ovary Syndrome May Be an Autoimmune Disorder

Scientifica ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hifsa Mobeen ◽  
Nadeem Afzal ◽  
Muhammad Kashif

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most prevalent endocrine disorder affecting females. It is a common cause of menstrual irregularities and infertility during reproductive age. Genetic and hormonal factors play crucial role in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Low level of progesterone in PCOS causes overstimulation of immune system that produces more estrogen which leads to various autoantibodies. Different autoantibodies have been documented in PCOS, for example, anti-nuclear (ANA), anti-thyroid, anti-spermatic, anti-SM, anti-histone, anti-carbonic anhydrase, anti-ovarian, and anti-islet cell antibodies. There is an association between PCOS and autoimmune diseases such as ANA and anti-TPO that have been documented in systemic lupus erythematosus and Hashimoto thyroiditis, respectively, and it is suspected that there are autoantibodies that might affect the long term clinical management of these patients. Therefore fluctuating levels of autoantibodies in different PCOS patients give us the way to open new chapter for future research on molecular level. This may lead to discovery of better treatment options for PCOS in near future.

Author(s):  
Pratheek R. Kashyap ◽  
Rakesh Kumar Jha ◽  
Praful Patil

Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS) is a common endocrinal disorder of reproductive age, that cause enlarged ovaries with small cyst on the outer edges with infrequent or prolonged menstrual cycles, excess hair growth, acne and obesity, which is nowadays prevailing among females at adolescent stage. About 5-10% of women among the general population of in the world are affected by PCOS. There is an increase in the prevalence of PCOS among the women and young girls of reproductive age, where they experience depression because of PCOS particularly. The exact cause of PCOS is unknown. The early diagnosis and treatment along with weight loss may reduce the long term complications of PCOS. It is not only a problem associated with reproduction, but also has associated vital metabolic and psychological health risks. Aim: Depression Due to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Adolescents Conclusion: In comparison to safe controls, adolescents with PCOS had lower self-esteem, more anxiety, and more depressive symptoms. Future research is required to look into the psychiatric issues that affect adolescents with PCOS.


Author(s):  
Carrie Riestenberg ◽  
Anika Jagasia ◽  
Daniela Markovic ◽  
Richard P Buyalos ◽  
Ricardo Azziz

Abstract Context Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder of reproductive-aged women, affecting approximately 5-20% of women of reproductive age. A previous estimate noted that the economic burden of PCOS approximates $3.7 billion annually in 2020 USD when considering only the costs of the initial diagnosis and of reproductive endocrine morbidities, not considering the costs of pregnancy-related and long-term morbidities. Objective To estimate the excess prevalence and economic burden of pregnancy-related and long-term health morbidities attributable to PCOS. Data Sources PubMed, EmBase and Cochrane Library. Study Selection Studies in which the diagnosis of PCOS was consistent with the Rotterdam, National Institutes of Health (NIH), or Androgen Excess & PCOS (AE-PCOS) Society criteria, or that used electronic medical record diagnosis codes, or diagnosis based on histopathologic sampling were eligible for inclusion. Studies that included an outcome of interest and a control group of non-PCOS patients who were matched or controlled for body mass index (BMI) were included. Data Extraction Two investigators working independently extracted data on study characteristics and outcomes. Data Synthesis Data was pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. The I 2statistic was used to assess inter-study heterogeneity. The quality of selected studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results The additional total healthcare-related economic burden due to pregnancy-related and long-term morbidities associated with PCOS in the United States is estimated to be $4.3 billion annually in 2020 USD. Conclusions Together with our prior analysis, the economic burden of PCOS is estimated at $8 billion annually in 2020 USD.


2021 ◽  
pp. jim-2020-001609
Author(s):  
Borros M Arneth

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disorder that affects ~2.5 million people globally. Women of reproductive age are highly susceptible to this disease. This study aims to explore the association between MS and pregnancy. Articles related to the topic under investigation were identified; the search terms included “pregnancy”, “multiple sclerosis”, “MS”, and “women”. Only articles published between 2010 and 2020 were included in the review. This review shows that researchers have attempted to explore the link between pregnancy and MS, and the results from previous studies indicate that pregnancy reduces the risk of MS relapse. However, evidence suggesting that pregnancy can affect the long-term progression of MS is lacking. The research results also indicate that MS does not increase the risk of maternal and fetal complications. MS remains a serious autoimmune disorder that affects many women worldwide. The data gathered during this review indicate that a significant correlation exists between pregnancy and MS relapse rates. The findings presented in this review can aid in the management of MS during pregnancy. Furthermore, these research results provide vital insights that caregivers can use to monitor patients with MS during pregnancy.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie A Flores ◽  
Hugh S Taylor

Endometriosis is a chronic, gynecologic disease affecting 6 to 10% of reproductive age women. Pelvic pain, dyspareunia, and infertility are the most common symptoms of endometriosis that can have a significant impact on patients’ lives. Although the etiology remains largely unknown, the role of estrogens in the development and growth of endometriosis is well characterized. Medical and surgical therapies are the two cornerstones of endometriosis management. Following diagnosis of endometriosis, treatment options will be dependent on patient preference (ie, seeking pain relief versus fertility treatment). Future research aimed at targeting altered molecular pathways in patients with endometriosis will hopefully help mitigate the burden of this debilitating disease. This review contains 5 figures, 7 tables, and 75 references. Key Words: aberrant gene expression, altered immunity, endometriosis, infertility, medical and surgical therapy, pelvic pain, retrograde menstruation, stem cells


Author(s):  
Zhongwei Huang ◽  
Eu Leong Yong

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an enigmatic condition and its pathophysiology remains to be determined but it is likely to involve the androgen, insulin, and anti-Mullerian hormone pathways. PCOS is diagnosed in women in the reproductive age group based on the Rotterdam criteria. The spectrum of disease involves various phenotypes based on the current diagnostic criteria and this may have reproductive, metabolic, and endocrine consequences. Reproductive issues include that of irregular menstrual cycles and anovulation. Metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance, obesity, dyslipidaemia, and hypertension must be screened for in all women who are diagnosed with PCOS. Long-term risks of metabolic and endocrine disorders in women with PCOS still need further confirmation with more robust data. Reproductive ageing appears to be increased in women with PCOS and they seem to menopause at a later age. Thus far, PCOS appears to be associated with endometrial hyperplasia and cancer.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 75-79
Author(s):  
Natasha Povey ◽  
Dr Fiona Curtis

Obesity is a major public health concern: in the United Kingdom (UK) over two thirds of the population are obese or overweight, the prevalence of obesity is growing exponentially, and current treatment options have limited success – making the need for novel therapies vital. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) has the ability to safely dissipate chemical energy as heat and in 2009 was found to be active in human adults, leading to hope that its therapeutic manipulation could contribute to weight loss. This review discusses methods proposed for BAT activation and potential pitfalls in our current understanding to evaluate if BAT can be used as a future treatment for obesity. To date, ơ3-adrenergic receptor (ơ3-AR) agonists and cold activation have been shown to be the most promising options to activate BAT. However, cold activation requires a high degree of patient cooperation and ơ3-AR agonists appear non-effective long-term. Nonetheless, ơ3-AR agonists are likely to be a more realistic treatment than cold activation, making our next challenge to understandand mitigate the mechanisms that inhibit BAT activation in long-term ơ3-AR agonist administration. Our assumptions about BAT activation are predominately from rodent studies and based on measurements from [18F]-fl uorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG)-positron-emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging, both with their respective limitations. BAT has offered huge insight into weight homeostasis, with the potential of offering prospective therapeutics for obesity and beyond. Nevertheless, before we can truly understand the real possibilities of BAT we need to further our current understanding of the physiological controls of BAT, potentially leading to more suitable therapies. The focus for future research should be to improve and standardise the methodology used to measure BAT activation, enabling larger clinical trials and better comparisons.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 35-37
Author(s):  
Mahendra Raj Pandey

Background: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is one of the most common cause of anovulation in women of reproductive age, with a prevalence of upto 10%. Oligomenorrhea, hirsutism and obesity together with enlarged polycystic ovaries are the diagnostic criteria of PCOS. These women are vulnerable to type II diabetes, dyslipidemia, premature arteriosclerosis, and endometrial carcinoma. Aims and Objectives: The aim and objective of this study was to see the various clinical profile of PCOS patients at a Medical College in Nepal and to make patients aware about the long term sequalae associated with it. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted in the outpatient department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Manipal Teaching Hospital from January 2018 till June 2019. A total of 90 patients presenting with oligomenorrhoea, obesity, acne, infertility and hirsutism were included in the study. The exclusion criteria were young women who had their menarche less than 2 years back, women older than 45 years, and patients on exogenous estrogen or progesterone therapy. Results: Out of 90 patients studied, 37(41%) were married and 53(59%) were unmarried. There were many patients from urban compared to rural areas (67% vs 33%). Many patients were either overweight (22%) or obese (61%) and 6% of the patients were underweight. Mean age at the time of presentation was 31.66 years with many patients (37%) between 30-35 years age group. Majority of the patients were either oligomenorrhoeic or amenorrhoeic (78 %). Weight gain was present in 83% of the patients. Infertility was present in 81% of the married patients. Fifteen women (17%) had hypothyroidism and were receiving treatment for the same. Ultrasonography was done in all the patients and typical necklace pattern of follicular arrangement was seen in 70 (78%) patients. Conclusion: The diagnosis of PCOS can be reliably predicted with the help of clinical features and sonography in women according to Rotterdam criteria. Oligomenorrhoea or amenorrhea and weight gain were main symptoms in our patients. It is important to educate and make unmarried PCOS patients aware of its association with infertility and long-term medical problems.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie A Flores ◽  
Hugh S Taylor

Endometriosis is a chronic, gynecologic disease affecting 6 to 10% of reproductive age women. Pelvic pain, dyspareunia, and infertility are the most common symptoms of endometriosis that can have a significant impact on patients’ lives. Although the etiology remains largely unknown, the role of estrogens in the development and growth of endometriosis is well characterized. Medical and surgical therapies are the two cornerstones of endometriosis management. Following diagnosis of endometriosis, treatment options will be dependent on patient preference (ie, seeking pain relief versus fertility treatment). Future research aimed at targeting altered molecular pathways in patients with endometriosis will hopefully help mitigate the burden of this debilitating disease. This review contains 5 figures, 7 tables, and 75 references. Key Words: aberrant gene expression, altered immunity, endometriosis, infertility, medical and surgical therapy, pelvic pain, retrograde menstruation, stem cells


Author(s):  
Archana Singh ◽  
K. Vijaya ◽  
Kaparati Sai Laxmi

Background: PCOS is a complex   endocrine   disorder which is most common in women of reproductive age. PCOS may first present in adolescence, but the incidence of PCOS in adolescence is not known, as diagnostic criteria for PCOS in the adolescent age-group is still not defined, PCOS symptoms tend to overlap with normal pubertal changes making the diagnosis even more challenging. The objective is to study prevalence and symptomatology of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in adolescent girls.Methods: Prospective study between November 2017 and March 2018. 117 adolescent girls aged 15 to19 years attending OPD with oligomenorrhea and/or hirsutism were advised for biochemical, hormonal, and ultrasonographic evaluation for diagnosis of PCOS on the basis of Rotterdam’s criteria at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Government Maternity Hospital, Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad.Results: Prevalence of PCOS in the study was 11.96% in the study group.Conclusions: PCOS is increasingly encountered during adolescence, although the overall prevalence is low and evaluation of PCOS in adolescents is challenging. At this age, life style modification is imperative to prevent long-term metabolic and reproductive complications.


2014 ◽  
Vol 104 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cylie M. Williams ◽  
Paul Tinley ◽  
Barry Rawicki

Background Idiopathic toe-walking (ITW) is a condition commonly seen by podiatric physicians. Because a toe-walking gait style is also caused by or associated with many other medical conditions, podiatric physicians should pay particular attention to ensuring an accurate diagnosis. There are many reported treatment options available for ITW. Therefore, a literature review was conducted to determine what treatment options are supported by the evidence as having the best long-term effect on ITW gait. Methods After extraction of relevant articles, 21 manuscripts reporting treatment options for ITW gait were appraised against the levels of evidence. Results From these articles, there was no single treatment option reported as having a long-term effect on the gait of children with ITW. There was support in the literature for surgical interventions, serial casting, and the use of botulinum toxin type A. There was limited evidence that footwear or orthoses changed the gait pattern. Conclusions This review updates the knowledge of podiatric physicians, enhances how children who present with this gait style can be managed, and highlights areas for future research.


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