Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Adolescence: How to Deal With it? (Overview)

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a very complex syndrome with typical hormonal and metabolic features. In adolescent girls, this condition has certain characteristics that are shared with adult signs and symptoms, often making it difficult to diagnose. On the other hand, the treatment strategy aims to manage various aspects of this syndrome and is typically based on lifestyle/diet modification, possibly associated with the use of estrogens, antiandrogens, and insulin sensitizing agents. In this article, we will briefly review both the diagnosis and clinical approach to polycystic ovary syndrome in adolescence, which are still a matter of debate due to the specific hormonal environment of this critical period.