Clinical and biochemical presentations of polycystic ovary syndrome among obese and nonobese women

Objective

To study the differences in clinical and biochemical characteristics between obese and nonobese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Design

Retrospective study.

Setting

University teaching hospital.

Patient(s)

Four hundred sixty-four Taiwan Chinese women, among whom 295 were diagnosed with PCOS and 169 were non-PCOS controls.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Body mass index, average menstrual interval, modified Ferriman-Gallwey score, acne, total T, and waist-to-hip ratio.

Result(s)

Obese women with polycystic ovary morphology (PCOM) had a greater risk of developing of PCOS (odds ratio [OR], 2.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5–10.4) than nonobese women with PCOM. Obese women with PCOM had a higher incidence oligomenorrhea (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.6–4.1) and biochemical hyperandrogenemia (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.6–4.0) than nonobese women with PCOM. Obese subjects with PCOS had a higher risk of developing oligomenorrhea (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.3–3.7) and biochemical hyperandrogenemia (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.6–4.2) than nonobese women with PCOS. Moreover, obese women with PCOS had significantly higher serum total T levels and more prolonged menstrual intervals than nonobese women with PCOS. Notably, the obese women with PCOS presented less acne than the nonobese subjects (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3–0.9).

Conclusion(s)

Obese women with PCOS had more severe ovulatory dysfunction and higher serum total T levels than nonobese subjects. Moreover, obese women with PCOS had a significantly lower frequency of acne than nonobese subjects.

Keywords: Polycystic ovary syndrome, polycystic ovaries, obese, hyperandrogenism, hirsutism, acne