Evolution of cardiovascular risk factors and the risk for cardiovascular events in a Caucasian population with polycystic ovary syndrome
- PMID: 40036703
- DOI: 10.1093/ejendo/lvaf027
Evolution of cardiovascular risk factors and the risk for cardiovascular events in a Caucasian population with polycystic ovary syndrome
Abstract
Objective: To estimate the risk of cardiovascular (CV) events (primary aim) and to evaluate the long-term variation in CV risk factors in a Caucasian population of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Design: Matched cohort prospective study based on 10 years of follow-up.
Methods: One hundred twenty Caucasian women with PCOS diagnosed by the National Institutes of Health criteria in reproductive age were assessed at baseline (2009) and at the end of follow-up (2020) for major and minor CV events and CV risk factors. Five controls were exactly matched by age and the presence/absence of type 2 diabetes with each participant at baseline (total number = 600) and followed up to evaluate the relative risk of PCOS for CV events. Change in epicardial fat thickness (EFT) was also analysed.
Results: The mean age of patients with PCOS at follow-up was 51.9 ± 7.7 years. No major CV events were detected in PCOS patients (0% vs. 2% among controls), and the incidence of any minor CV events was 4.2% vs. 2.3% among controls (P = .340). The percentage of most CV risk factors (obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, and carotid intima media thickness ≥1 mm with or without plaques with non-critical stenosis) increased. By contrast, both short- and long-axis EFTs and smoking decreased markedly.
Conclusions: Caucasian patients with PCOS do not have an increased risk for CV events during the late reproductive or early post-menopausal period, despite the increase in most CV risk factors, except for EFT that markedly decreases. Further studies are needed to determine the role of EFT on CV risk in PCOS.
Keywords: PCOS; androgens; cardiovascular events; cardiovascular risk; epicardial fat.
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Conflict of interest statement
Conflict of interest: A.G. is on the editorial board of EJE. She is not involved in the review or editorial process for this paper, on which she is listed as author. The other authors have no conflict of interest to declare.