Does polycystic ovary syndrome increase the disparity in metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular-related health for African-American women?
There have been few formal studies of differences in the phenotype of PCOS among women of African-American ancestry. Generally, African-American women tend to have an adverse cardiovascular risk profile when compared with women of other racial groups. The metabolic syndrome is a clinical disorder that identifies individuals at risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Preliminary studies support that both African-American and White women with PCOS have similar prevalences of the metabolic syndrome, suggesting that the diagnosis may not be associated with racial differences in cardiovascular risk factors.
Coney
PonJola
P
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee, USA. pconey@vcu.edu
Ladson
Gwinnett
G
Sweet
Stephanie
S
Legro
Richard S
RS
D001741:Black or African American; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors