Markers of visceral obesity and cardiovascular risk in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of most common endocrine disturbances in women of reproductive age. Besides its well known effects on reproductive health, it is also linked to increased cardiovascular risk in later life.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the link between some anthropometric indices of visceral obesity and surrogate markers of cardiovascular risk according to the Androgen Excess and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (AE-PCOS) Society consensus.


METHODS
The study included 36 normal weight (BMI<25 kg/m²) and 19 obese PCOS subjects (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²), aged between 18 and 40 years. Different anthropometric markers were compared as predictors for an adverse cardiometabolic profile and composite cardiovascular risk factors as defined by the AE-PCOS consensus.


RESULTS
Both waist-to-stature ratio (WSR) (area under the curve 0.75, p=0.002) and waist circumference (WC) (area under the curve 0.77, p=0.001) but not waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) (area under the curve 0.62, p=0.143) were shown to be good markers of increased cardiovascular risk, insulin resistance and dislipidemia in PCOS patients. The cut-off point for WSR of 0.50 is useful and the cut-off of 80 cm for WC is more appropriate than 88 cm in detecting cardiovascular risk in PCOS patients. Androgen levels and immunoreactive insulin during an oral glucose tolerance test had lower power for predicting increased cardiovascular risk than WC and WSR.


CONCLUSIONS
The study indicates that WSR and WC are better associated with composite cardiovascular risk factors as defined by the AE-PCOS consensus than WHR, and that the commonly used cut-off for WSR of 0.5 is useful for detecting cardiovascular risk in PCOS patients.
Clinic of Endocrinology, University Hospital Alexandrovska, Medical University - Sofia, 1 Georgi Sofiiski blv., 1431 Sofia, Bulgaria. tony_gateva@yahoo.com
Antoaneta Trifonova
AT
Gateva
Zdravko Asenov
ZA
Kamenov
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002031:Bulgaria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055105:Waist Circumference; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers