Pulmonary Function and Psychological Distress among Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: A Cross-sectional Study

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a multisystemic endocrine disorder associated with metabolic and psychological alterations. While psychological distress in PCOS is widely documented, pulmonary function and its relationship to psychological health have not yet been explored in sufficient depth.

To assess pulmonary function and psychological distress among women with PCOS and to examine the relationship between respiratory parameters and psychological variables.

A cross-sectional observational study conducted among women with clinically confirmed PCOS in institutional and community settings.

Women of early reproductive age with diagnosed PCOS were included. Pulmonary function was assessed using spirometric parameters, including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁), FEV₁/FVC ratio, peak expiratory flow rate and maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV). Psychological distress was evaluated using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21. Participants were additionally stratified based on duration since PCOS diagnosis to explore potential duration-related differences.

Data were analysed using SPSS version 23. Continuous variables were expressed as mean ± standard deviation, and categorical variables as frequencies and percentages. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine associations between pulmonary function parameters and psychological distress scores. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

A total of 298 women participated in the study, with a mean age of 22.03 ± 3.30 years. Pulmonary assessment showed mildly reduced lung volumes with lower mean FVC and FEV₁ values, while the FEV₁/FVC ratio remained preserved, suggesting the absence of airflow obstruction. Psychological evaluation demonstrated mild to moderate levels of stress, anxiety and depression. Significant inverse correlations were observed between FVC and MVV with stress and anxiety, indicating an association between psychological distress and reduced ventilatory capacity. Strong positive correlations were also observed between psychological domains. Participants with a longer duration of PCOS demonstrated higher levels of psychological distress and lower ventilatory parameters.

Women with PCOS demonstrate reduced pulmonary function and significant psychological distress, with inverse associations between respiratory and psychological parameters.