Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and the Risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Meta-Analysis and Review of the Literature

The meta-analysis by Helvaci et al. from 2017 examined the link between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), including 13 studies with 404 PCOS patients and 611 controls. It found that PCOS patients had a 22% prevalence of OSA, which was significantly higher in adults (32%) than in adolescents (8%). Adult PCOS patients were approximately 9.74 times more likely to have OSA, while the increased risk was not significant in adolescents. The study concluded that there is a significant association between PCOS and OSA in adults, and it emphasized the need for diagnosis and treatment of OSA in this group due to the risk of cardiometabolic disorders. The document also noted that the risk of OSA in PCOS is not solely due to BMI, as central obesity and high androgen levels may also contribute to the development of OSA. Despite limitations such as small sample sizes and variability in diagnostic criteria, the study suggests that physicians should screen for OSA in PCOS patients to protect their cardiometabolic health.