Evaluation of Adverse Outcome in Young Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Versus Matched, Reference Controls: A Retrospective, Observational Study

• Published in: The journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism Vol. 97; no. 9; pp. 3251 - 3260
• Main Authors: Morgan, Christopher L, Jenkins-Jones, Sara, Currie, Craig J, Rees, D. Aled
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Endocrine Society 01-09-2012
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Body Mass Index; Cardiovascular Diseases - epidemiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - mortality; Cerebrovascular Disorders - epidemiology; Cerebrovascular Disorders - etiology; Cerebrovascular Disorders - mortality; Cholesterol - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - epidemiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - etiology; Disease Progression; Endocrinopathies; Endpoint Determination; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Medical sciences; Neoplasms - epidemiology; Neoplasms - etiology; Peripheral Vascular Diseases - epidemiology; Peripheral Vascular Diseases - etiology; Peripheral Vascular Diseases - mortality; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - complications; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - mortality; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - therapy; Primary Health Care; Proportional Hazards Models; Retrospective Studies; Smoking - adverse effects; Smoking - epidemiology; Treatment Outcome; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Vertebrates: endocrinology; Young Adult; Human; Evaluation; Obesity; Observational study; Nutrition; Reference; Nutrition disorder; Female sterility; Metabolic diseases; Retrospective study; Polycystic ovary; Female genital diseases; Ovarian diseases; Surveillance; Cyst; Young adult; Complication; Female; Benign neoplasm; Woman; Endocrinology; Nutritional status; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0021-972X; 1945-7197
• DOI: 10.1210/jc.2012-1690

Context:
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with insulin resistance, hyperandrogenism, and dyslipidemia, but the effects of these disturbances on long-term health are not fully understood.
Aim:
Our aim was to determine the relative risk of type 2 diabetes, cancer, large-vessel disease (LVD), and all-cause mortality for women diagnosed with PCOS.
Design:
Data were extracted from the General Practice Research Database, a longitudinal, anonymized research database derived from nearly 600 primary-care practices in the United Kingdom. Patients with a diagnosis of PCOS between 1990 and 2010 were selected. Patients were matched to two sets of controls. The first set was matched according to primary-care practice and age, and the second was also matched on body mass index. Primary outcome was first incident record of diabetes. Crude rates for diabetes were presented, and time to diabetes was analyzed using Cox proportional hazard models. Secondary outcomes (cancer, LVD, and mortality) were also modeled.
Results:
Of 53,303 identified with a diagnosis of PCOS, 21,740 (40.8%) met the eligibility criteria. Median follow-up was 4.7 yr (interquartile range = 2.0–8.6 yr) in those with PCOS and 5.8 yr (2.7–9.6) in the reference group. Crude rates of diabetes were 5.7 and 1.7 per 1000 patient-years for cases and controls, respectively. The corresponding adjusted hazard ratio was 3.015 (95% confidence interval = 2.733–3.327). Of cases matched by body mass index, crude rates of diabetes were 4.7 and 2.4 per 1000 patient-years, respectively. The corresponding adjusted hazard ratio was 1.752 (1.514–2.028). No significant difference in BMI-adjusted risk was evident for cancer, LVD, or all-cause mortality.
Conclusions:
During this follow-up period, women with PCOS were not at increased risk of LVD, cancer, or death, but they had increased risk of type 2 diabetes.