Age-specific serum antimullerian hormone levels in women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome

Objective: To determine the serum antimullerian hormone (AMH) reference values in Chinese women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and the associations of AMH with clinical or biochemical characteristics. Design: Retrospective study. Setting: Academic institutions. Patient(s): Totals of 1,896 infertile control women and 304 women with PCOS. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Serum basal AMH levels and clinical, endocrine, and metabolic parameters. Result(s): In the same age group, serum AMH levels were higher in PCOS women than those without PCOS. AMH levels were not significantly related to indices of insulin resistance or metabolic-related variables in both groups. In the infertile control group, AMH increased with antral follicle count (AFC) and LH and decreased with age, body mass index (BMI), and FSH. In the PCOS group, AMH levels showed positive correlations with LH, AFC, and T and negative correlations with BMI. The median AMH levels were 2.35 ng/mL for ages 20-31 years, 1.58 ng/mL for ages 32-34 years, 1.30 ng/mL for ages 35-37 years, 0.96 ng/mL for ages 38-40 years, 1.05 ng/mL for ages 41-43 years, and 0.67 ng/mL for ages >43 years in the control group and 4.38 ng/mL for ages 20-31 years, 3.47 ng/mL for ages 32-34 years, and 3.30 ng/mL for ages 35-37 years in the PCOS group. Conclusion(s): This study determined reference values of serum AMH in Chinese women with and without PCOS. Elevated serum AMH levels do not affect the risk of insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome. (C)2014 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.