title: [Elevated blood pressure in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: prevalence and associated risk factors].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to investigate the prevalence of elevated blood pressure (BP) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and to correlate the BP levels with other cardiovascular risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  a cross-sectional study was conducted on 113 PCOS women (26.2±4.3 years) and on a Control Group of 242 healthy women from the general population (26.8±5.0 years). The variables considered were: systolic and diastolic BP, anthropometric parameters and plasma levels of glucose, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides. The BP values were classified according to the V Brazilian Guidelines of Hypertension. Statistical analysis was performed by intergroup comparison with the Student's t-test and χ2 test, and correlation analysis was performed using Pearson's coefficient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the PCOS Group showed a significantly higher prevalence of altered BP (>130/85 mmHg) than the Control Group (18.6 versus 9.9%, respectively; p<0.05). PCOS women had higher mean systolic BP, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), triglycerides and fasting glucose, and lower HDL-cholesterol, compared to the Control Group (p<0.01). In the PCOS Group, the values of systolic and diastolic BP showed a significant positive correlation with age, BMI, WC, and triglycerides (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  according to the results obtained, it is possible to conclude that the frequency of women with BP values above the normal limit was significantly higher in the PCOS Group than in the Control Group. Additionally, the BP values also correlated with other cardiovascular risk factors. These findings underscore the importance of preventive strategies in PCOS women, in order to prevent pathological events related to the cardiovascular system.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Medicina Clínica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brasil.
authors.forename: Maria Fátima de
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.forename: Eduardo Caldas
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Arthur Ivan Nobre
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Isabelle Braz de Oliveira
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Joice Cristina Dantas Brandão
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Marinho
authors.forename: Julieta Alice Moreno
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: George Dantas
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Azevedo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult