Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and its components in Brazilian women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Objective

To determine the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components in Brazilian women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

University Hospital, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal-RN, Brazil.

Patient(s)

102 women with PCOS by the Rotterdam consensus criteria.

Intervention(s)

None.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Clinical and biochemical parameters for MetS as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP ATP III).

Result(s)

The prevalence for individual components of MetS were high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level <50 mg/dL in 69.6%, waist circumference ≥88 cm in 57.9%, triglyceride level ≥150 mg/dL in 31.7%, blood pressure ≥130/85 mm Hg in 18.6%, and fasting glucose concentrations ≥110 mg/dL in 2.9%. Three or more of these individual criteria were present in 29 (28.4%) of the patients. The prevalence of MetS increased with body mass index: 3.2%, 19.2% and 52.3% for normal, overweight, and obese women, respectively.

Conclusion(s)

These findings indicate that Brazilian women with PCOS have a high prevalence of MetS and its individual components, particularly a decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level. Thus, these women are at increased risk of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease.

Key Words: Metabolic syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome, cardiovascular disease