The LH/FSH ratio has little use in diagnosing polycystic ovarian syndrome

Abstract

This study confirms that measurement of the LH/FSH ratio is of limited use in the diagnosis of PCOS.

Defining hyperandrogenism in polycystic ovary syndrome: measurement of testosterone and androstenedione by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and analysis by receiver operator characteristic plots

“…The Rotterdam consensus criteria proposed that LH had no role in the diagnosis (6). This is supported by two studies: firstly, Cho et al (17) found that the LH:FSH ratio has poor within-person reproducibility in women with or without proven PCOS; secondly, EscobarMorreale et al (18) using consecutive series of women showed that LH and FSH had practically no diagnostic utility, although samples were taken at random times within the menstrual cycle. These two studies contrast with our findings where LH/FSH is significantly elevated in samples taken during the early follicular phase.…”

“…Therefore, it is necessary to have a patient series that reflects the population under study and not to pick patients and controls in artificial proportions. ROC curves have been used to evaluate diagnostic tests in PCOS, but the only study we have identified that has used an appropriate series of consecutive patients is that of Escobar-Morreale et al (17). They measured testosterone and SHBG using the Immulite methods, and identified SHBG and FAI as the best assays with AUC 0.875 and 0.867.…”

To Study The Status of LH: FSH Ratio in Obese And Non-Obese Patients of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

“…On the other hand Cho LW et al [22] found that LH/FSH ratio has little use in diagnosing PCOS because the median LH/FSH ratio did not suffer significantly between the PCOS and non affected group.…”

Prevalence and characteristics of polycystic ovarian syndrome in a sample of infertile Kurdish women attending IVF infertility center in maternity teaching hospital of Erbil City

“…This, as well as its lack of specificity, has led to the recommendation that LH/FSH ratios should not be included in the diagnostic criteria for PCOS [20]. Thus, Cho et al [30] found that the LH/FSH ratio had little use in diagnosing PCOS because the median LH/FSH ratio did not differ significantly between the PCOS and nonaffected group [30].…”