title: Carotid intima-media thickness in mainly non-obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome and age-matched controls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Metabolic disturbances are well-recognized clinical features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) has been widely used as a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). CIMT in women with PCOS has been investigated in many studies, but there has been only one report in the Korean population. The aim of the present study was to compare the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis in young untreated Korean women with PCOS and age-matched controls, specifically by measuring their CIMT.
  
  
  METHODS
  CIMT was measured by one radiologist in 56 PCOS patients and 56 controls. To compare the CIMT according to PCOS phenotypes, women with PCOS were divided into two subgroups according to the presence of hyperandrogenism.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although PCOS patients were more obese and had higher blood pressure and insulin resistance index than the age-matched controls, the CIMT was not different between the two groups (0.49 ± 0.09 mm in PCOS patients vs. 0.50 ± 0.11 mm in controls, respectively, p = 0.562). When the CIMT in the control group was compared with hyperandrogenic and non-hyperandrogenic PCOS groups, also no significant differences were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the significant differences in some vascular risk factors between women with PCOS and controls, PCOS patients did not have a significantly higher CIMT (even in the hyperandrogenic subgroups). Although our study did not show the increased risk of subclinical atherosclerosis in PCOS patients, the role of CIMT continues to be investigated considering the importance of screening and monitoring CVD risk factors in women with PCOS.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. ; Healthcare System Gangnam Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Jin Ju
authors: JJ
authors: Kim
authors: Young Min
authors: YM
authors: Choi
authors: Jin Hwa
authors: JH
authors: Kang
authors: Kyu Ri
authors: KR
authors: Hwang
authors: Soo Jin
authors: SJ
authors: Chae
authors: Sun Mie
authors: SM
authors: Kim
authors: Seung Yup
authors: SY
authors: Ku
authors: Seok Hyun
authors: SH
authors: Kim
authors: Jung Gu
authors: JG
authors: Kim
authors: Shin Yong
authors: SY
authors: Moon
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Carotid intima-media thickness; Insulin resistance; Polycystic ovary syndrome