Pituitary and Testicular Function in Sons of Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome from Infancy to Adulthood

Context: An important proportion of male members of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) families exhibit insulin resistance and related metabolic defects. However, the reproductive phenotypes in first-degree male relatives of PCOS women have been described less often. Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the pituitary-testicular function in sons of women with PCOS during different stages of life: early infancy, childhood, and adulthood. Design: Eighty sons of women with PCOS (PCOSS) and 56 sons of control women without hyperandrogenism (CS), matched for age, were studied. In all subjects, the pituitary-gonadal axis was evaluated by a GnRH agonist test (leuprolide acetate, 10 μg/kg sc). Serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin B were used as Sertoli cell markers. Serum concentrations of gonadotropins, steroid hormones, and SHBG were also determined. A semen analysis was performed. Results: Basal concentrations of gonadotropins, sex steroids, and inhibin B were comparable between PCOSs a...