www.elsevier.es/endo ENDOCRINOLOGÍA Y NUTRICIÓN REVIEW ARTICLE Polycystic ovary syndrome: Challenges in adolescence Ana Oliveira a,d,Ã , Bernarda Sampaio b , Ana Teixeira c , Cı ´ntia Castro-Correia c , Manuel Fontoura c,d and Jose´Luı ´s Medina a,d a Endocrinology Department, Hospital de S ˜ ao Jo ˜ ao-EPE, Porto, Portugal b Pediatrics Department, Hospital S ˜ ao Marcos, Braga, Portugal c Pediatrics Department, Hospital de S ˜ ao Jo ˜ ao, Porto, Portugal d Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal Received 18 November 2009; accepted 12 April 2010 Available online 17 June 2010 KEYWORDS Polycystic ovary syndrome; Adolescent; Hyperandrogenism; Hirsutism Abstract Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine diseases in women of reproductive age. PCOS typically develops during adolescence and is a heterogeneous syndrome classically characterized by features of anovulation combined with signs of androgen excess (hirsutism, acne). Increasing obesity in adolescents probably exacerbates signs of PCOS, contributing to its earlier recognition. Recognizing the features of this syndrome can be very challenging in adolescence. Although adolescents’ concerns are often cosmetic, if left untreated these girls are at risk for diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and infertility as they mature. Efforts should be made to diagnose and treat PCOS to minimize the development of symptoms and prevent the onset of cardiovascular and metabolic disturbances. & 2009 SEEN. Published by Elsevier Espan ˜a, S.L. All rights reserved. PALABRAS CLAVE Sı ´ndrome de ovario poliquı ´stico; Adolescentes; Hiperandrogenismo; Hirsutismo Sı ´ndrome del ovario poliquı ´stico: retos en la adolescencia Resumen El sı ´ndrome del ovario poliquı ´stico (SOP) es una de las endocrinopatı ´as ma´s comunes en mujeres en edad reproductiva. SOP se presenta tı ´picamente en la adolescencia y es un sı ´ndrome heteroge´neo que cla´sicamente se caracteriza por rasgos de la anovulacio´n en combinacio´n con sı ´ntomas de exceso de andro´genos (hirsutismo, acne´). El aumento de la obesidad en los adolescentes probablemente exacerba sen ˜ales del SOP, contribuyendo a un reconocimiento ma´s precoz. Reconocer las caracterı ´sticas de este sı ´ndrome puede ser muy difı ´cil en la adolescencia. Aunque las preocupaciones a los adolescentes sean a menudo cosme´ticas, si no se tratan estas nin ˜as corren el riesgo de desarrollar diabetes, sı ´ndrome metabo´lico, e infertilidad a medida que crecen. Se deben hacer esfuerzos para 1575-0922/$ - see front matter & 2009 SEEN. Published by Elsevier Espan ˜a, S.L. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.endonu.2010.04.007 Ã Corresponding author. E-mail address: nisampaiooliveira@gmail.com (A. Oliveira). Endocrinol Nutr. 2010;57(7):328–336 Document downloaded from http://www.elsevier.es, day 21/09/2017. This copy is for personal use. Any transmission of this document by any media or format is strictly prohibited. Document downloaded from http://www.elsevier.es, day 21/09/2017. This copy is for personal use. Any transmission of this document by any media or format is strictly prohibited.