Phenotype and Metabolic Profile of South Asian Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Results from a Specialist Endocrine Clinic
November 2010
in “
Human Reproduction
”
![Image of study](/images/research/e4496f9b-c2ea-4dad-8c33-bdda207d2f36/medium/14908.jpg)
TLDR South Asian women with PCOS are more likely to have metabolic issues and central obesity, and simple measures like waist size and blood pressure can help identify these risks early.
The 2010 study examined 469 South Asian women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and compared them to 231 controls, finding that PCOS was associated with a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), central obesity, and other metabolic abnormalities. Specifically, 30.6% of the PCOS patients had MetS, and the condition was significantly associated with factors such as age ≥35 years, acanthosis nigricans (AN), and a BMI ≥25 kg/m². The study also noted that central obesity was more indicative of metabolic risk in this population than overall BMI. Despite the high prevalence of metabolic issues, hyperandrogenism was not a significant predictor of MetS in this group, which is a contrast to findings in other ethnic populations. The research suggests using waist circumference, blood pressure, and AN evaluation as simple tools for early identification of metabolic risks in young South Asian women with PCOS, particularly in areas with limited resources.