Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and the Metabolic Syndrome
Sawaek Weerakiet MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinological disorder in female reproductive age. Insulin resistance (IR) and compensatory hyperinsulinemia seem to be the main pathophysiologies of this syndrome. Therefore, PCOS is at risk for abnormal glucose tolerance, dyslipidemia, central obesity and hypertension. Also, plasminogen activator-inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), hemostatic factor, and C-reactive protein (CRP), inflammatory factor have been reported in PCOS women. The metabolic syndrome (MS), a clustering of several metabolic abnormalities, is more prevalent in PCOS. One-third to 46% of PCOS women with MS have been reported. Since these metabolic abnormalities as well as MS are the important risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD), PCOS is at risk for CVD.
Keywords : Abnormal glucose metabolism, Dyslipidemia, The metabolic syndrome, Polycystic ovary syndrome
