Is the Risk for Cardiovascular Disease Increased in all Phenotypes of the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?

• Published in: Angiology 2011-05, Vol.62 (4), p.285-290
• Main Authors: Daskalopoulos, Georgios N., Karkanaki, Artemis, Karagiannis, Asterios, Mikhailidis, Dimitri P., Athyros, Vasilios G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - metabolism; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - etiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - metabolism; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - prevention & control; Dyslipidemias - etiology; Dyslipidemias - metabolism; Dyslipidemias - prevention & control; Female; Humans; Phenotype; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - complications; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - metabolism; Risk Factors
• ISSN: 0003-3197; 1940-1574
• DOI: 10.1177/0003319711399571

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common disorder in women of reproductive age, affecting around 10% of them. Polycystic ovary syndrome is considered to be related to increased risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). There are 2 definitions for PCOS: one adopted in 1990 (classical PCOS with phenotypes A and B) and the otherin 2003 (Rotterdam criteria with 4 phenotypes A to D). The latter is a wider definition including the 1990 phenotypes. There is mounting data suggesting that phenotypes C and D are not actually related to increased CVD risk, and thus screening for CVD risk factors of intervening for primary CVD prevention in young women is not cost-effective. There is an increasing number of suggestions to return to the 1990 criteria plus some metabolic parameters to identify real CVD risk in this population. However, such a strategy needs verification by large, prospective studies.