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Review
. 2023 Feb 15:14:951099.
doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.951099. eCollection 2023.

Obesity-associated cardiometabolic complications in polycystic ovary syndrome: The potential role of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors

Jacob E Pruett  1 , Damian G Romero  1   2   3   4 , Licy L Yanes Cardozo  1   2   3   4   5
Affiliations
Review

Obesity-associated cardiometabolic complications in polycystic ovary syndrome: The potential role of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors

Jacob E Pruett et al. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). .

Abstract

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in reproductive-age women. PCOS is characterized by androgen excess, oligo/anovulation, and polycystic appearance of the ovaries. Women with PCOS have an increased prevalence of multiple cardiovascular risk factors such as insulin resistance, hypertension, renal injury, and obesity. Unfortunately, there is a lack of effective, evidence-based pharmacotherapeutics to target these cardiometabolic complications. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors provide cardiovascular protection in patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus. Although the exact mechanisms of how SGLT2 inhibitors confer cardiovascular protection remains unclear, numerous mechanistic hypotheses for this protection include modulation of the renin-angiotensin system and/or the sympathetic nervous system and improvement in mitochondrial function. Data from recent clinical trials and basic research show a potential role for SGLT2 inhibitors in treating obesity-associated cardiometabolic complications in PCOS. This narrative review discusses the mechanisms of the beneficial effect of SGLT2 inhibitors in cardiometabolic diseases in PCOS.

Keywords: SGLT 2 inhibitors; cardiometabolic complications; hypertension; insulin resistance; mitochondrial dysfunction; obesity; polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); women’s health.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PCOS diagnosis criteria.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Cardiometabolic complications in PCOS.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Potential mechanisms by which SGLT2 inhibitors improve the cardiometabolic complications in PCOS.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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