Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex, heterogeneous disorder, which produces in 5-20% reproductive age women. In this study, a nontargeted metabolomics approach based on ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry will be used to investigate serum metabolic characteristics of PCOS. PCOS women and healthy control will be divided into two distinct groups based on multivariate statistical analysis. The findings of this study will offer a new insight to understand the pathogenesis mechanism, and the discriminating metabolites may provide a prospect for PCOS diagnosis.

Inclusion Criteria:

• PCOS diagnostic criteria: According to the diagnostic criteria revised by the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine at the Rotterdam in 2003,4 PCOS patients can be diagnosed if two of the three criteria are present after excluding congenial adrenal hyperplasia, Cushing's syndrome, androgen secreting tumors, or other related disorders. The three criteria are (1) oligo- and/or anovulation; (2) clinical and/or biochemical signs of hyperandrogenism (clinical manifestations of hyperandrogenism include presence of acne, hirsutism, and androgenic alopecia); (3) polycystic ovaries by ultrasound examination: presence of 12 or more follicles in each ovary measuring 2-9 mm on diameter and/or ovarian volume>10 ml.
• Age between 14 and 40 years
• 2 years after menarche

Exclusion Criteria:

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PCOS is a complex disease and its pathogenesis is not clear, but it is believed to be the result from genetic, environmental, and lifestyle interaction. It is relatively clear that PCOS is closely related with hormone abnormality. More and more evidence displayed that insulin signaling pathways are closely related to PCOS. PCOS may also be associated with chronic inflammation and increased level of oxidative stress.