Clinical Characteristics of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Investigating Differences in White and South Asian Women

The study analyzed retrospective data from 1,310 women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who visited a specialist clinic in Leicester, UK. It found that South Asian women with PCOS were younger at their first clinic appointment, smoked less, and had higher rates of Acanthosis Nigricans, type 2 diabetes, and hirsutism, but lower blood pressure and BMI compared to White women. Differences in body weight were significant even when adjusted for ethnicity-specific obesity thresholds. Age also influenced PCOS characteristics; women aged 30 or older had higher rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and infertility, but less acne and oligomenorrhea. The study concluded that ethnicity, obesity, and age significantly affect the clinical presentation of PCOS, which should inform management strategies.