Polycystic Ovaries Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Polycystic Ovaries, including details on treatment, symptoms, polycystic ovary syndrome, infertility.

Polycystic ovary syndrome in post-menopausal women--marker of the metabolic syndrome.

Margolin E, Zhornitzki T, Kopernik G, Kogan S, Schattner A, Knobler H

Department of Medicine, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel.

OBJECTIVES: To determine among post-menopausal women, the prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and to evaluate the endocrine and metabolic profile of these women in comparisons to women without PCOS. METHODS: All women attending two post-menopausal outpatient clinics, fulfilling the inclusion criteria, were evaluated by physical examination, detailed questionnaire and laboratory measurements of glucose, lipids and sex-hormone levels. RESULTS: Among 104 women 7 (6.7%) were diagnosed with PCOS. As compared to women without PCOS, central obesity was more common in the PCOS group (p=0.004), 4/7 had type 2 diabetes compared to 8/97 in the non-PCOS group (p=0.003) and 6/7 versus 31/97 had the characteristic dyslipidemia of the metabolic syndrome (p=0.047). CONCLUSIONS: PCOS is common in post-menopausal women attending outpatient's clinics, and is a marker for a metabolic profile that is associated with a high-risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

Published 22 March 2005 in Maturitas, 50(4): 331-6.
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