Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and the accompanying disorders of glucose homeostasis among girls at the time of puberty.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) usually arises during puberty and is marked by insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and hyperandrogenism. The principle is that the diagnosis of PCOS must be based on the presence of at least two of the following three criteria: chronic anovulation, hyperandrogenism (clinical or biological), and polycystic ovaries. The diagnosis of PCOS in adolescents is particularly difficult due to developmental problems in this group. Many symptoms of PCOS, including acne, menstrual irregularities, and hyperinsulinemia, are common in normal puberty. Adolescents with PCOS are at an increased risk of developing health problems later on in life, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and infertility. One should reckon with the frequent occurrence of the PCOS in type 1 diabetes, when the ovaries and the adrenals are exposed to excessive insulin concentrations. Ovarian hyperandrogenism is common in adolescent girls with type 1 diabetes. Methods of treatment for an adolescent with PCOS include diet and exercise. Metformin is commonly used in young girls and adolescents with PCOS as first-line monotherapy or in combination with anti-androgen medications. © Polish Society for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology.