Cardiovascular and Metabolic Risk Profiles Across Different Phenotypes of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Authors : Erson Aksu, Abdulaziz Gül

Pages : 307-314

Doi:10.16899/jcm.1794476

View : 38 | Download : 653

Publication Date : 2025-11-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Aim: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous endocrine disorder affecting 5–10% of women of reproductive age and is increasingly recognized as a female-specific cardiometabolic condition. Although metabolic risk factors such as insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension are well established in PCOS, their distribution across distinct phenotypes remains controversial. Material and Methods: In this retrospective study, 240 women diagnosed with PCOS based on the 2003 Rotterdam criteria and 116 healthy controls aged 18–42 years were evaluated. Patients with PCOS were categorized into four phenotypes: (i) hyperandrogenism + oligo/anovulation + polycystic ovaries (HA+OA+PCO), (ii) hyperandrogenism + oligo/anovulation (HA+OA), (iii) hyperandrogenism + polycystic ovaries (HA+PCO), and (iv) polycystic ovaries + oligo/anovulation (PCO+OA). Anthropometric measurements, hormonal profiles, lipid panels, glucose-insulin parameters, and HOMA-IR indices were compared between groups. Results: Compared with controls, women with PCOS had significantly higher triglycerides, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, total testosterone, DHEAS, and LH/FSH ratio, while HDL cholesterol was lower (all p<0.05). Waist-to-hip ratio was elevated in the PCOS group despite similar BMI. Mean systolic BP was comparable, whereas diastolic BP was slightly lower in PCOS; both SBP and DBP varied significantly across phenotypes. Lipid and hormone profiles did not differ among subgroups. Although glucose and overall HbA1c were similar between PCOS and controls, HbA1c was significantly higher in the PCO+OA subgroup compared with HA+OA. Conclusion: PCOS is associated with adverse cardiometabolic risk factors independent of phenotype. These findings underscore the need for early cardiometabolic screening in all women with PCOS, while larger multicenter studies are warranted to delineate subtle inter-phenotypic variations.
Keywords : Polikistik over sendromu, fenotipler, insülin direnci, kardiyovasküler risk, metabolik sendrom

ORIGINAL ARTICLE URL