['To investigate the relationship between ovarian androgen excess and impaired growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) axis in nonobese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).', 'A prospective, controlled clinical study.', 'Reproductive Endocrine Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Clinical Medicine.', 'Six patients with PCOS with both clomiphene resistance and gonadotropin hyperreponsiveness and six controls with regular cycles, matched for age and body mass index (BMI).', 'Bilateral ovarian wedge resection (OWR) was performed to induce ovulation surgically for these refractory women with PCOS. A GH stimulation test with oral L-dopa was arranged for controls and for patients with PCOS before and again 6 months later after OWR.', 'Plasma GH, IGF-1, FSH, LH, testosterone, androstenedione, estradiol, progesterone, prolactin, insulin, and glucose.', 'Basal levels and areas under the response curve of GH and GH-IGF-1 ratio to L-dopa were significantly lower in patients with PCOS before surgery than those of controls. The OWR in patients with PCOS obviously reduced their androstenedione and testosterone levels and insulin-glucose ratios, and increased the GH and GH-IGF-1 responses to L-dopa.'] Does androgen excess contribute to altered growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-1 axis in nonobese women with polycystic ovary syndrome?