Metabolic and lipoprotein aspects of polycystic ovarian syndrome

Abstract

Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a common endocrine disorder of women. It is associated with an adverse metabolic risk factor profile including hyperinsulinemia, abnormal glucose metabolism, dyslipidemia and chronic pro-atherogenic low grade inflammation. A large proportion of PCOS women are overweight or obese; these women have a high prevalence of insulin resistance and some studies suggest this also the case in lean women with PCOS. Impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes are more common in women with PCOS than in the general population. Besides conventional atherogenic dyslipidemia, PCOS women have additional abnormalities including elevations in small, dense LDL and dysfunctional HDL-particles. Despite a clear pro-atherogenic risk factor profile, it has not been clearly demonstrated that this translates into increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in this population.