Endocrine Abstracts

Background: In women with autoimmune primary adrenal failure (AD) there is a high prevalence of autoimmune primary ovarian failure (POI). Whether the oophoritis is caused by an unknown ovary-specific autoantibodyor cross-autoimmunity with steroid hormone producing cells in the adrenal cortex is unknown. Autoimmune POI can also affect women without AD. Autoantibodies against steroidogenic enzymes are useful diagnostic markers in AD but are of uncertain value in idiopathic POI.<...

Context: Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) affects approximately 1-3% of women. Clinical presentations are heterogeneous and the underlying etiologies remain unknown in the majority of cases.Objective/aim: To characterize presentations of POI and to evaluate the distribution of underlying etiologies in women with newly diagnosed POI of unknown cause.Design: Prospective study of 100 women with newly diagnosed POI. Autoimmunity w...