BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common heterogeneous endocrine disorder associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS). The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to provide the most reliable estimate risk of MetS in women with PCOS, compared to healthy controls.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed [including Medline], Web of Science and Scopus databases for retrieving articles in English language on the prevalence/incidence and odds of MetS in women with PCOS compared to healthy controls. Mantel-Haenszel methods of meta-analysis were used to present results in terms of the pooled odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval [CI]) using fixed/random-effects models with/without the publication bias correction, based on the various subgroups of age and study methods. Newcastle-Ottawa Scaling and The Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias assessment tool were used to evaluate the quality of studies included.

RESULTS

The search strategy yielded 2759 potentially relevant articles of which 44 articles were included for meta-analysis. Results of the meta-analysis demonstrated that the patients with PCOS regardless of age, BMI and recruitment sources of samples had higher odds of MetS compared to healthy controls (OR 2.5, 95% CI 2.0-3.2). However, adolescents with PCOS had an increased odds of MetS compared to healthy adolescent controls in population- and nonpopulation-based studies (OR 4.7, 95% CI 1.8-11.9; OR 6.1, 95% CI 6.0- 6.1, respectively). However, the odds of MetS had no differences between adults with PCOS compared to healthy controls in population-based studies. These results were confirmed by the subgroup meta-analysis of some studies using age and BMI adjustment/matching. In addition, subgroup analysis based on diagnostic criteria of PCOS showed that the OR of MetS in PCOS using NIH criteria was higher than AES and Rotterdam criteria (Pooled Overall OR based on NIH criteria = 6.05, 95% CIL: 6.0-6.04).

CONCLUSION

These findings provide some information on the real features and a broader view of this syndrome that also helps clarify conflicting results documented in the literature. Accordingly, in prevention strategies, routine screening for metabolic syndrome is suggested for adolescents with PCOS.