Black women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have increased risk for metabolic syndrome (MET SYN) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to white women with PCOS

Abstract

Women with PCOS have an increased risk of Met Syn compared to controls. There is limited information on racial differences in cardiometabolic risk in PCOS. Our objective was to determine the prevalence of Met Syn and CVD risk in white and black women with PCOS and compare to controls. Retrospective chart review. Women with well-defined PCOS with information on race and cardiometabolic risk were included. Met Syn was defined as 3 of 5 criteria (Table). Controls were age matched from the NHANES population. Black women with PCOS have a significantly increased prevalence of Met Syn and general CVD risk score compared to white women with PCOS (RR for met syn=1.77 (95% CI 1.2-2.6).Tabled 1Cardiometabolic Risk in PCOSPCOS White (n=280)PCOS Black (n=80)Age±SE27.9±0.328.8±0.6Testosterone±SE ng/dL60.18 ±275.30 ±4.3#TG≥150 mg/dL23.5%10.8%**HDL≤50 mg/dL36.7%77.03%**BMI≥30 kg/m253.2%74.6%§BP≥130/85 mmHg33.5%46.8%Glucose≥100 mg/dL24.4%42.7%**Metabolic Syndrome(≥3 criteria)24.4%42.6%**Framingham 10-yr General CVD Risk 20081.42%2.23%## p<0.01, ** age/BMI adjusted p<0.01, § age adjusted p<0.05. Open table in a new tab # p<0.01, ** age/BMI adjusted p<0.01, § age adjusted p<0.05. There was no difference in risk of Met Syn between white and black women in the NHANES dataset. The RR for Met Syn in white women with PCOS compared to white women from NHANES was 1.52 (95% CI 1.03-2.23), while the same comparison for black women was 2.42 (95% CI 1.52-3.82). After controlling for age and BMI, black women with PCOS had an increased prevalence of low HDL and high glucose. This is the first study to comprehensively demonstrate increased risk of both Met Syn and general CVD in black women with PCOS compared to white women with PCOS. This racial disparity exists in the PCOS population compared to NHANES controls. Our findings highlight the importance of screening and need for longitudinal follow-up for cardiometabolic risk in young black women with PCOS.