Etiología del síndrome del ovario poliquístico

The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine-metabolic disorder, in which patients with different etiopathogenic mechanisms show the same phenotype. The primary defect in PCOS consists of an exaggerated synthesis and secretion of androgens by the ovary and, possibly, by the adrenal gland. The etiology remains unknown. This primary defect is triggered by several factors, of which the endogenous hyperinsulinism secondary to insulin resistance and obesity is the best known. Depending on the severity of the steroidogenic defect, the triggering factors play a greater or lesser role in the development of the disorder, as exemplified by the marked phenotypic differences among lean and obese PCOS patients. The etiology of PCOS is complex and multifactorial and involves interaction among genetic and environmental factors. This interaction is currently under study. The most probable scenario involves a complex inheritance combined with a strong environmental influence. The latter derives from factors such as diet, exercise, and lifestyle, which are heavily dependent on ethnic and geographic variability.