Description of Research Expertise

Research Interests: Dr Dokras directs the Penn Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) trans disciplinary research program.

Keywords: PCOS, androgens, metabolic risk, mood disorders, cardiovascular disease

Research Details:PCOS is the commonest endocrine disorder in reproductive age women with a prevalence of 8-15%. It is associated with significant gynecological, dermatologic, metabolic and psychiatric co-morbidities. Our research program has two main interests; understanding long term cardiovascular morbidity and risk of depression and anxiety disorders in PCOS. Both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mood disorders are associated with significantly physical and emotional morbidity and add significantly to the financial burden of the healthcare system.

Our group has shown that young women with PCOS have an increased risk of obesity, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome and subclinical atherosclerosis. We are currently interested in understanding the determinants of CVD risk by performing studies at both cellular and population levels.
Our second area of interest is to better understand the increased risk of anxiety and mood disorders in PCOS. Our clinical studies understand the impact of interventions such as lifestyle change, hormonal contraception, CBT on mental and cardiometabolic health.

Selected Publications

Applebaum J, Kim EK, Sharp M, Dokras A, Shah DK.: Racial and socioeconomic disparities in fertility treatment provision for patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertil Steril. S0015-0282 (24): 00545-4,2024.

Lee IT, Rees J, King S, Kim A, Cherlin T, Hinkle S, Mumford SL, Dokras A.: Depression, Anxiety, and Risk of Metabolic Syndrome in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Longitudinal Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. : 2024.

Cooney LG, Sammel MD, Lee I, Clapp MA, Goldsammler M, Scott E, Bjorkman S, Fisher BT, Dokras A.: The details matter: personalized prediction of live birth following in vitro fertilization in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertil Steril. 121 (6): 1010-101,2024.

Stener-Victorin E, Teede H, Norman RJ, Legro R, Goodarzi MO, Dokras A, Laven J, Hoeger K, Piltonen TT.: Polycystic ovary syndrome. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 10 (1): 27,2024.

Teede HJ, Tay CT, Laven J, Dokras A, Moran LJ, Piltonen TT, Costello MF, Boivin J, M Redman L, A Boyle J, Norman RJ, Mousa A, Joham AE: Recommendations from the 2023 International Evidence-based Guideline for the Assessment and Management of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Fertil Steril. 120 (4): 767-793,2023.

Alur-Gupta S, Boland MR, Dokras A: N3C Consortium Risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection among women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertil Steril. 119 (5): 847-857,2023.

Senapati, S, Asch, D, Merchant, RM, Rosin, R, Seltzer, E, Mancheno, C, Dokras, A: The Fast Track to Fertility Program: Rapid Cycle Innovation to Redesign Fertility Care NEJM Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery 3 (10): 2022.

Alur-Gupta S, Boland MR, Dokras A; N3C Consortium: Risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection among women with polycystic ovary syndrome Fertil Steril. 119 (2): 847-857,2023.

Huddleston HG, Dokras A.: Diagnosis and Treatment of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. JAMA. 327 (3): 274-275,2022.

Dokras A.: Does body weight affect cardiometabolic risk in women with polycystic ovary syndrome? Fertil Steril 111 (1): 56-57,2019.

Cooney LG, Dokras A.: Beyond fertility: polycystic ovary syndrome and long-term health. Fertil Steril. 110 (5): 2018.

Dokras A, Stener-Victorin E, Yildiz BO, Li R, Ottey S, Shah D, Epperson N, Teede H.: Androgen Excess-Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Society: position statement on depression, anxiety, quality of life, and eating disorders in polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertility and Sterility 109 (5): 888-899,2018.

Copp T, Jansen J, Doust J, Mol BW, Dokras A, McCaffery K: Are expanding disease definitions unnecessarily labeling women with polycystic ovary syndrome? BMJ 358 : j3694,2017.

Dokras A, Playford M, Kris-Etherton PM, Kunselman AR, Stetter CM, Williams NI, Gnatuk CL, Estes SJ, Sarwer DB, Allison KC, Coutifaris C, Mehta N, Legro RS: Impact of hormonal contraception and weight loss on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol efflux and lipoprotein particles in women with polycystic ovary syndrome Clin Endocrinol 86 (50): 739-746,2017.

Dokras A, Saini S, Gibson-Helm M, Schulkin J, Cooney L, Teede H: Gaps in knowledge among physicians regarding diagnostic criteria and management of polycystic ovary syndrome Fertil Steril : 2017.

Legro RS, Dodson WC, Kunselman AR, Stetter CM, Kris-Etherton PM, Williams NI, Gnatuk CL, Estes SJ, Allison KC, Sarwer DB, Diamond MP, Schlaff WD, Casson PR, Christman GM, Barnhart KT, Bates GW, Usadi R, Lucidi S, Baker V, Zhang H, Eisenberg E, Coutifaris C, Dokras A: Benefit of delayed fertility therapy with preconception weight loss over immediate therapy in obese women with PCOS J Clin Endocrinol Metab 101 (7): 2658-2666,2016 .

Gibson-Helm M, Teede H, Dunaif A, Dokras A: Delayed diagnosis and a lack of information associated with dissatisfaction in women with polycystic ovary syndrome J Clin Endocrinol Metab 102 (2): 604-612,2017.

Dokras A, Sarwer DB, Allison KC, Milman L, Kris-Etherton PM, Kunselman AR, Stetter CM, Williams NI, Gnatuk CL, Estes SJ, Fleming J, Coutifaris C, Legro RS: Weight Loss and Lowering Androgens Predict Improvements in Health-Related Quality of Life in Women with PCOS J Clin Endocrinol Metab 101 (8): 2966-2974,2016.

Legro RS, Dodson WC, Kris-Etherton PM, Kunselman AR, Stetter CM, Williams NI, Gnatuk CL, Estes SJ, Fleming J, Allison KC, Sarwer DB, Coutifaris C, Dokras A: Randomized Controlled Trial of Preconception Interventions in Infertile Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome J Clin Endocrinol Metab 100 (11): 4048-4058,2015.

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Academic Contact Information

Penn Fertility Care
3701 Market Street, Suite 800
adokras@obgyn.upenn.edu
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone: 215-615-0085
Patient appointments: 800-789-7366