Ethnic Disparities in Cardio-Metabolic and Reproductive Profiles in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome per the New International Guideline: A United-States Based Multi-Center Study

The magnitude and direction to which cardio-metabolic and reproductive aberrations may disproportionately impact diverse populations of women with PCOS are relevant yet unclear. The uncertainty stems, in part, from heterogeneity in PCOS diagnostic criteria used and technical challenges in the reliable assessment of this clinical population. We evaluated whether cardio-metabolic (abdominal adiposity, hypertension, impaired glucoregulatory status) and reproductive (hyperandrogenism, polycystic ovarian morphology [PCOM], menstrual irregularity) outcomes were different in PCOS (n = 120, 18-36 yrs.) across 4 groups: (1) Non-Hispanic White (n = 76); (2) Non-Hispanic Black (n = 14); (3) Non-Hispanic Asian (n = 15); and, (4) Hispanic White (n = 15). Women were prospectively recruited across 3 academic medical centers in New York State and were matched for age and body mass index. PCOS was defined by the Rotterdam criteria using the recommended thresholds of the 2018 International Evidence-based Guideline for the Assessment and Management of PCOS. Concerning abdominal adiposity, the Asian group (mean ± standard deviation; 0.78 ± 0.06) had a lower waist to hip ratio (WHR) compared to the White group (0.85 ± 0.09; P = 0.01). Also, the Asian group had a higher sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG, 65.9 ± 23.4 nmol/L) compared to all other groups (White [40.5 ± 22.3]; Black [43.8 ± 21.9]; Hispanic [36.8 ± 18.8] nmol/L; All: P < 0.04). In contrast, the White group were most hyperandrogenic, evidenced by their higher modified Ferriman-Gallwey (mFG) scores (10 ± 4) compared to other groups (Black [4 ± 0]; Asian [2 ± 0]; Hispanic [4 ± 1]; All: P ≤ 0.001). Consistently, the White group (1.0 ± 0.5 ng/dL) exhibited increased free testosterone (FT) compared to other groups (Black [0.5 ± 0]; Asian [0.4 ± 0]; Hispanic [0.6 ± 0.1] ng/dL; All: P ≤ 0.001), unlike total testosterone (P = 0.12). Regarding PCOM, the White group exhibited higher follicle numbers per ovary (FNPO 2-9 mm, 48 ± 22) compared to other groups (Black [30 ± 16]; Asian [26 ± 5]; Hispanic [22 ± 17]; All: P ≤ 0.05). Unlike Black (12.4 ± 1.3 mm; P = 0.05) and Hispanic (13.5 ± 1.1 mm; P = 0.89) groups, the White group (13.9 ± 2.1 mm) also exhibited larger ovarian volume (OV) compared to Asian group (12.4 ± 1.5 mm; P = 0.03). Women had comparable blood pressure (systolic, diastolic), fasting glucose, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, or intermenstrual interval length (All: P ≥ 0.09). Overall, Asian women in the US likely exhibit the mildest PCOS metabolic (decreased WHR, increased SHBG) phenotype, whereas White women show the most severe reproductive (increased mFG, FT, FNPO, OV) phenotype. If confirmed by larger studies, our observations warrant additional population-specific diagnostic considerations to prevent and manage PCOS cardio-metabolic (e.g., metabolic syndrome risk) and reproductive (e.g., hirsutism, PCOM) complications across ethnicities.