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Updated: Mar 20, 2026
Evaluation of Hepatic Glucose Production in a Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Mouse Model
Published on: March 5, 2022
Type 1 Diabetes and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Héctor F Escobar-Morreale1, M Belén Roldán-Martín2
1Diabetes, Obesity and Human Reproduction Research Group, Department of Endocrinology & Nutrition, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Universidad de Alcalá, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, CIBERDEM, Madrid, Spain hectorfrancisco.escobar@salud.madrid.org.
Background:
A few small studies have reported increased prevalences of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and symptoms of androgen excess in women with type 1 diabetes.
Purpose:
We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies evaluating androgen excess symptoms and PCOS in women with type 1 diabetes.
Data Sources:
The Entrez-PubMed and Scopus electronic databases were used.
Study Selection:
We selected studies addressing androgen excess signs, symptoms, and disorders in girls, adolescents, and adult women with type 1 diabetes.
Data Extraction:
The main outcome measures were prevalences of PCOS, hyperandrogenemia, hirsutism, menstrual dysfunction, and polycystic ovarian morphology (PCOM).
Data Synthesis:
Nine primary studies involving 475 adolescent or adult women with type 1 diabetes were included. The prevalences of PCOS and associated traits in women with type 1 diabetes were 24% (95% CI 15-34) for PCOS, 25% (95% CI 17-33) for hyperandrogenemia, 25% (95% CI 16-36) for hirsutism, 24% (95% CI 17-32) for menstrual dysfunction, and 33% (95% CI 24-44) for PCOM. These figures are considerably higher than those reported earlier in the general population without diabetes.
Limitations:
The data collected in the original studies were heterogeneous in age, race, ethnicity, and criteria used for the diagnosis of PCOS; yet, we used a quality-effects model in the meta-analyses to overcome this limitation.
Conclusions:
PCOS and its related traits are frequent findings in women with type 1 diabetes. PCOS may contribute to the subfertility of these women by a mechanism that does not directly depend on glycemic/metabolic control among other negative consequences for their health. Hence, screening for PCOS and androgen excess should be included in current guidelines for the management of type 1 diabetes in women.
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