Response to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Androgens, Autonomic Nervous System, and Hypertension

We thank Dr Perciaccante¹ and his colleague for their interest and insightful comments on our recent article² regarding the association between the characteristic hyperandrogenemia and the elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressure in young women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Perciaccante et al propose that the cardiovascular autonomic nervous system might be affected directly by androgen levels or by hyperandrogenemia-induced insulin resistance and might, therefore, act as a possible link between androgen and blood pressure in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. We agree entirely that the mechanisms underlying hyperandrogenemia and elevated blood pressure are complex, and impaired autonomic nervous system might be a possible reason to explain this association.

However, further investigation and controlled studies are still necessary to substantiate this hypothesis.