Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome are more likely than other women of the same age to have cardiovascular risk factors (central body fat distribution, obesity, hypertension, increased triglycerides, reduced HDL-cholesterol concentrations). (1)
The complications of the polycystic ovarian syndrome include:
- infertility (2)
- 3 times the normal risk for type 2 diabetes. About 20% to 40% of obese women with PCOS have glucose intolerance or type 2 diabetes by the end of their fourth decade2-fold increased risk of diabetes mellitus (3).
- 3-fold increased risk of TIA/stroke (1)
- a 3-fold increased risk of development of endometrial cancer (4)
- obstructive sleep apnoea - about 20% to 45% of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have sleep apnoea or sleep-disordered breathing, and they might complain of daytime somnolence/fatigue and snoring (5)
One meta-analysis of 46 studies found that the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) women is 30%. (6)
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome have a 1.3-fold greater risk of developing composite CVD, ischemic heart disease, and stroke compared with women without PCOS (1)
References:
- Zhao L, Zhu Z, Lou H, et al. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD): a meta-analysis. Oncotarget. 2016 Jun 7;7(23):33715-21.
- Azziz R, Carmina E, Chen Z, et al. Polycystic ovary syndrome. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2016 Aug 11;2:16057.
- Kakoly NS, Khomami MB, Joham AE, et al. Ethnicity, obesity and the prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes in PCOS: a systematic review and meta-regression. Hum Reprod Update. 2018 Jul 1;24(4):455-67.
- Haoula Z, Salman M, Atiomo W. Evaluating the association between endometrial cancer and polycystic ovary syndrome. Hum Reprod. 2012 May;27(5):1327-31.
- Vgontzas AN et al. Polycystic ovary syndrome is associated with obstructive sleep apnea and daytime sleepiness: role of insulin resistance. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001 Feb;86(2):517-20.
- Khorshidi A, Azami M, Tardeh S, et al. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2019 Jul - Aug;13(4):2747-53.