title: Carotid intimo-medial thickness: A predictor for cardiovascular disorder in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome in the South Indian population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine problem, which is now recognized as not only a reproductive but also a metabolic disorder with long-term effects on women's health, it has a prevalence of 5-10% in India. Among PCOS, it has been reported to have a higher incidence of cardiovascular disorders. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated an association between an increase in the carotid intimo-medial wall thickness (CIMT) and cardiovascular dysfunction. The objective of this study was to compare the CIMT of PCOS with normal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cross-sectional case-control study was conducted in a tertiary care Hospital in South India. Fifty-four subjects with polycystic ovarian disease and 54 healthy women were enrolled into the study. PCOS was diagnosed by Rotterdam criteria, 2003. Both groups of women were investigated with CIMT and cardiovascular dysfunction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of women with PCOS and controls were 24.4 ± 5.3 and 27.7 ± 6.0, respectively, whereas body mass index was significantly higher in PCOS than controls group. Mean carotid IMT was significantly higher in PCOS subjects (0.51 ± 0.078) than control subjects (0.44 ± 0.06).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher CIMT values were observed in PCOS group compared to control group indicating the importance for measuring CIMT in women with PCOS to predict the risk of cardiovascular dysfunction (CVD).
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Neeraj
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Mala
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dharmalingam
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Vinay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Prabhu
authors.affiliation: Division of Resarch and Patents, M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Murthy
keywords: Cardiovascular dysfunction; carotid intimo-medial thickness; polycystic ovary syndrome