Threshold value of anti-Mullerian hormone for the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome in Chinese women

OBJECTIVE: We intended to establish the threshold for anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) in the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in China. METHODS: A total of 771 women (653 with PCOS and 118 healthy controls) were enrolled. The serum AMH, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), FSH/LH, prolactin, estradiol, testosterone (T), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), 17α-OH progesterone (17α-OHP), fasting insulin (INS), fasting glucose, free androgen index (FAI%) and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index were analyzed, and the diagnostic utility of AMH, LH/FSH, T and INS was established using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves. With AMH, LH/FSH, T and INS as independent variables, a logistic regression model was established, and the ROC curve for combined detection was fitted with the probability value of the model. RESULTS: The serum level of FSH, LH, LH/FSH, AMH, FAI%, 17α-OHP, fasting INS, T, SHBG, DHEA-S and HOMA-IR were altered in the PCOS patients. The best compromise between sensitivity and specificity was found at an AMH cut-off level of 8.16 ng/ml and 5.89 ng/ml for the age groups 20–29 and 30–39 years, with the corresponding area under the curve being 0.846 and 0.865 respectively. The area under the ROC curve for combined detection was 0.951, which was significantly greater than that of each index. Finally, the concentration of AMH was associated with FSH, LH, LH/FSH, T, and ovarian volume in PCOS patients. CONCLUSION: The optimal AMH diagnostic threshold for PCOS was 8.16 ng/ml (20–29 years) and 5.89 ng/ml (30–39 years) in the Chinese population of this study. Moreover, serum AMH, LH/FSH, T and INS could be used in combination to improve the diagnostic specificity and sensitivity for the detection of PCOS.