Comparison of clinical features and health manifestations in lean vs. obese Indian women with polycystic ovarian syndrome

Aims: To study the prevalence of clinical manifestations in obese and lean polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) women and their health hazards. Settings and Design: This prospective study was carried out in a tertiary care infertility clinic from 1.7.2005 till 31.12.2007. Materials and Methods: These women were diagnosed to have PCOS by the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, Rotterdam 2003 criteria. They were further divided into two groups according to their body mass index (BMI): Group A (n = 300), overweight and obese with BMI> 23 and Group B (n = 150), normal weight and lean with BMI ≤23. Stastical Analysis and Results: The prevalence of menstrual irregularities [79.2% vs. 44%, P = 0.000, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.26-0.44)] and clinical hyperandrogenism (74.2% vs. 50.6%, P = 0.000, 95% CI=0.14-0.32) was signifi cantly higher in the obese group, whereas android central obesity (waist to hip ratio> 0.85) was similar in both groups, irrespective of body weight (47.7% vs. 38%, P = 0.056, 95% CI=0.06 to +0.18). Comparative data of various health manifestations in lean vs. obese women with POCS [Table 4]. Of the health risk manifestations, hypertension occurred in both groups with a similar frequency (41% vs. 35.5%, P = 0.261, 95% CI=0.03 to +0.15). Group A showed an increased prevalence of IGT (25% vs. 10%, P = 0.000, 95% CI= 0.13-0.29) and type two diabetes mellitus (11.7% vs. 6%, P = 0.000, 95% CI= 0.13-0.29) as compared with group B. endometrial hyperplasia (EH) also showed an increase prevalence in Group A compared with Group B (5.6% vs. 2%, P = 0.055, 95% CI= 0.01-0.08), although not statistically significant. Conclusion: PCOS emerges as a clinically heterogeneous condition with increased prevalence of health risks such as hypertension, diabetes and EH. Of these, diabetes and EH appear to be more prevalent in the obese, putting them at a greater risk of morbid problems at a much younger age than the lean ones.