title: Cardiovascular disease and risk factors in PCOS women of postmenopausal age: a 21-year controlled follow-up study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with the metabolic syndrome and, consequently, with a potentially increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and related mortality later in life. Studies regarding CVD and mortality in PCOS women well into the postmenopausal age are lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our objective was to examine whether postmenopausal PCOS women differ from controls regarding cardiovascular risk factors, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke and mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted, at a university hospital, a prospective study of 35 PCOS women (61-79 yr) and 120 age-matched controls. The study was performed 21 yr after the initial study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five PCOS women (Rotterdam criteria) and 68 controls participated in all examinations. Data on morbidity were based on 32 of 34 PCOS women and on 95 of 119 controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  INTERVENTIONS included reexamination, interviews, and data from the National Board of Health and Welfare and from the Hospital Discharge Registry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood pressure, glucose, insulin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high- and low-density lipoprotein, apolipoprotein A1 and B, fibrinogen, and plasminogen activator inhibitor antigen were studied. Incidences of MI, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, cause of death, and age at death were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PCOS women had a higher prevalence of hypertension (P = 0.008) and higher triglyceride levels (P = 0.012) than controls. MI, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and mortality prevalence was similar in the two cohorts with similar body mass index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The well-described cardiovascular/metabolic risk profile in pre- and perimenopausal PCOS women does not entail an evident increase in cardiovascular events during the postmenopausal period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-41345 Göteborg, Sweden. johanna.schmidt@vgregion.se
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Landin-Wilhelmsen
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brännström
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dahlgren
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017698:Postmenopause; D015995:Prevalence; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol