No abstract

Adrenal involvement in polycystic ovarian disease was assessed by measuring dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate in 20 polycystic ovarian disease patients. The response of dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate to bromocriptine treatment was compared to that of placebo, both being given for one cycle on a doubleblind, cross over basis. The mean basal DHEA-S was above the upper limit of the normal range (6793 nmol/l) in three patients. The mean basal dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate in the polycystic ovarian disease group was significantly higher than the mean of the normal control group (P < 0.01). Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate showed a significant drop with bromocriptine as compared to placebo (P < 0.001) and a significant correlation with prolactin both before (P < 0.001) and after treatment with bromocriptine (P < 0.001). These findings support the hypothesis of adrenal involvement in polycystic ovarian disease and prove the significant effect of bromocriptine on the adrenal which might be of therapeutic value.