Scoping review of studies on polycystic ovary syndrome in adolescents: identifying research characteristics

Abstract

The consequences of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in adolescents go beyond infertility during reproductive   age. Therefore, research on PCOS should be methodically designed to address gaps and enhance the diagnosis and clinical management of the condition. This scoping review aims to describe the characteristics of research on PCOS among adolescents, and summarize the available methods of diagnosing PCOS among adolescents in epidemiological research. This review followed the standard protocols by Arksey and O’Malley and adheres to the Preferred Reported Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR) 2018 statement checklist. We included studies of female adolescents aged 13 to 18 years old and published from January 2011 up to December 2023. 341 articles were reviewed. Majority of the studies were observational and primarily conducted in Western countries, indicating the paucity of research on PCOS in Asian adolescents. The main limitations of existing studies are small sample size and potential admission bias due to the non-community-based nature of research. Additionally, the use of adult definitions for PCOS diagnosis in adolescent studies is also debatable. This scoping review assembles and provides insights into the characteristics of current PCOS studies in adolescents, aiming to guide future research directions in the field of PCOS.