Risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease among women with polycystic ovary syndrome in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the commonest endocrine disorder at a reproductive age. It is associated with a high risk of metabolic syndrome (MS) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). OBJECTIVE: To measure the prevalence of MS in women with PCOS and to assess the global cardiovascular risk (CVR) among them. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted at King Khalid Hospital, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia during the period from February through December 2014. A total of 404 infertile women were randomly selected, and checked for diagnosing PCOS, MS and estimated CVD probability. Data were analyzed by IBM-SPSS version 22, using independent-samples t-test, Chi-square, and conditional logistic regression. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: MS was diagnosed in 58% and 32% of women with and without PCOS respectively (p<0.00). Results showed a statistically significant association between the two syndromes. Patients with the two syndromes showed high averages of clinical and biochemical values (p<0.00), high rate of predicted CVR, a high percentage of clustering of MS factors, and that weight-waist circumference - HDL are predictive for the occurrence of MS. CONCLUSION: PCOS is associated with the risk of development of MS, and CVD. Screening for early detection of PCOS and MS and the application of cohort studies are recommended to better explore the role of PCOS in the development of CVD and to assess the significance of interventions.