Abstract
Disclosure: S. Sahu: None. T. Jain: None. A.J. Augustine: None. G. Palaniswamy: None. T. Mareedu: None. P.R. Patel: None. B. Padamati: None. N. Koduri: None. A. Dixit: None.
Background: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrine disorder among reproductive-age women, characterized by hormonal imbalance, insulin resistance, and metabolic dysfunction. Despite growing evidence linking PCOS to cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and chronic inflammation, longitudinal studies examining the direct association between PCOS and cardiovascular disease (CVD) remain limited. Women under 40 with PCOS face an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease due to metabolic and hormonal imbalances. Key risk factors include insulin resistance, obesity, and hypertension. Lifestyle interventions and management of weight and diabetes are essential strategies to reduce this risk. While PCOS is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, further research is needed to fully understand the independent effects of PCOS on CVD. This study aims to evaluate the long-term cardiovascular risk in women diagnosed with PCOS through a retrospective cohort analysis and address this research gap.Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using a dataset comprising 1,000 women aged 18-40, with 500 diagnosed with PCOS and 500 age-matched controls without PCOS. Key cardiovascular risk markers, including systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), lipid profile (LDL, HDL, triglycerides), fasting glucose, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP), were compared between groups. T-tests were used for continuous variables, and a chi-square test was performed to assess the association between PCOS and CVD. Additionally, logistic regression was conducted to evaluate PCOS as an independent predictor of CVD after adjusting for confounders such as BMI, smoking status, and physical activity.Results: Women with PCOS exhibited significantly higher systolic BP (p < 0.01), LDL cholesterol (p < 0.001), triglycerides (p < 0.001), fasting glucose (p < 0.01), and CRP (p < 0.001) compared to controls. The prevalence of CVD was markedly elevated in the PCOS group (chi-square test, χ² = 26.24, p < 0.0001), suggesting a strong association between PCOS and cardiovascular risk. Logistic regression confirmed that PCOS remained an independent predictor of CVD (OR: 2.45, 95% CI: 1.78–3.42, p < 0.001) even after adjusting for confounders.Conclusion: This study provides compelling evidence that PCOS is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, independent of BMI and lifestyle factors. The elevated levels of atherogenic lipids, blood pressure, and inflammatory markers in PCOS patients underscore the urgent need for early cardiovascular screening and risk management in this population. Future research should focus on long-term interventions to mitigate CVD risk in women with PCOS and further clarify the independent role of PCOS in cardiovascular outcomes.
Presentation: Saturday, July 12, 2025