Effect of body mass index on clinical manifestations in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether there is a correlation between body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure or clinical features such as hirsutism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).


METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, 62 women with PCOS were allocated to one of 3 groups according to a BMI range defining normal weight, overweight, or obesity. Blood pressure, waist-to-hip ratio, Ferriman and Gallwey hirsutism score, and presence of acne were recorded for each participant and the means were compared among groups.


RESULTS
The overall mean age was 35.85+/-5.03 years; BMI, 31.91+/-6.40; systolic and diastolic blood pressure, 113.02+/-16.10 mm Hg and 71.79+/-10.04 mm Hg; waist-to-hip ratio, 0.82+/-0.07; and hirsutism score, 3.63+/-4.35. Acne was present in 24 participants. Of these, 8 (33.3%) were overweight and 13 (54.2%) obese. When groups were compared, a progressive and significant increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressure was observed from the normal weight to the obese group.


CONCLUSIONS
We observed a significant and progressive correlation between BMI and both blood pressure and clinical features in women with PCOS.
Tamimi
Waleed
W
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Science, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Siddiqui
Imran A
IA
Tamim
Hani
H
AlEisa
Nada
N
Adham
Maysoon
M
D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio