SUN-LB3 Relationship Between BMI and PCOS Symptoms Among Flo App Users in the United States

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is known to affect 6%-12% of women of reproductive age in the United States. PCOS is a heterogeneous condition associated with menstrual cycle irregularity and androgen excess. Though many women with PCOS have a BMI classified as overweight or obese, information is limited on how specific symptoms and BMI mediate PCOS diagnoses in the general population. A questionnaire on PCOS-related symptoms and previous PCOS diagnosis was available to Flo users during one month (2019). Women aged 18-44 years seeking to track their cycle or to conceive, who were not pregnant, on active contraception or in stabilization mode after pregnancy, and had Flo app running in English met the study inclusion criteria. Participant characteristics including age and BMI were also collected from Flo app users during the sign-up process. All users in the study had agreed to the use of their de-identified and aggregated data for research purposes. The differences in clinical manifestation of PCOS symptoms between BMI groups were analyzed. Of US users with BMI data in the whole cohort, 8,808 women reported having physician-diagnosed PCOS, 5,551 women reported not having a PCOS diagnosis, and 58,478 reported that they had not been checked for PCOS. Of women with PCOS, 19.5% were normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.9), 19.7% were overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9), 20.4% were obese (30.0-34.9), 17.8% were severly obese (BMI 35.0-39.9), and 21.0% were morbidly obese (BMI 40+). The most common symptoms among PCOS positive women were bloating (38.7%), hirsutism (38.2%), and irregular cycle (26.0%). A direct relationship exists between BMI and having PCOS, as the percentage of PCOS in obese, severely obese, and morbidly obese BMI groups was higher (1.37, 1.87, and 2.12 times, respectively) than in the whole cohort. Similarly, among women who report acne, skin hyperpigmentation, bloating, hirsutism, heavy menses, baldness, family history of PCOS, high cholesterol, irregular cycle, and inability to conceive for > 1 year, there is a direct relationship between BMI and the percentage of women with PCOS. Moreover, when identifying symptoms and findings serving as strong predictors of a positive PCOS diagnosis, hirsutism, high glucose, and high levels of both cholesterol and glucose were the top symptoms and findings for women with BMI 18.5-34.9. Hirsutism, high glucose, and inability to conceive for > 1 year were the strongest predictors of PCOS for women with BMI 35+. Among all users with hirsutism, the percentage of women with PCOS increased 3.65 times compared to the whole cohort, making it the strongest predictor of PCOS. Understanding BMI patterns as they relate to PCOS symptoms allows for better understanding the pathophysiology of PCOS. Among women with PCOS in the United States, changes in BMI are associated with variations in the many symptoms of PCOS.