Metabolic Syndrome in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Iran

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been studied in different populations, but their results were so controversial regarding Iranian women. These controversial data indicated the need for more investigation of MetS characteristics in PCOS patients in our population. So this study aimed to evaluate the clinical and laboratory characteristics and metabolic features of patients with PCOS in Rasht.

This prospective cross sectional study was conducted on 215 PCOS women who lived in Rasht, north of Iran, from March 2010 to July 2012. The participants were then divided into two groups of women with MetS (n=62) and women without MetS (n=153). The diagnosis of PCOS and MetS were based on the Rotterdam 2003 criteria and the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) criteria, respectively. Demographic characteristics, fertility characteristics, family history and laboratory findings were assessed.

The prevalence of MetS in women with PCOS was 28.8%. In PCOS women of both groups, the waist circumference (WC) exceeded 88cm in 72.6%, hypertension [systolic blood pressure (SBP) and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥130/85mm Hg] was prevalent in 9.3%, fasting blood sugar (FBS) level was ≥110 mg/dl in 6%, triglycerides (Tg) level were ≥150 mg/dl in 47%, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level was <50 mg/dl in 86%. The values of WC, SBP, DBP, body mass index (BMI), ovarian size, Tg, cholesterol, FBS, 2-hour blood sugar, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were significantly greater in PCOS women with MetS than women without MetS. Also HDL and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels in women with MetS were significantly lower than women without MetS.

Prevalence of MetS in PCOS women was 28.8%, indicating that this value is higher than other studies conducted on PCOS women in Iran and other studies conducted on general population in Iran. PCOS women are considered as a high-risk population for MetS. The special strategies are required to prevent MetS and its associated complications in PCOS women.