New study quantifies the risk of developing type 2 Diabetes in women with PCOS

Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) are diagnosed with diabetes 4 years earlier and are at 4 times higher the risk of getting the disease as compared to controls, reports the result of a new study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.  

PCOS is prevalent in 7-8% of women of childbearing age and it is the most common cause of infertility. In USA, an estimated 5 to 6 million women have PCOS.

Dorte Glintborg, M.D., Ph.D., of the Odense University Hospital in Denmark said, “Many women with PCOS are obese, but the risk for the development of diabetes in PCOS is unknown.”

In this Prospective population-based cohort study researchers studied two groups of women with PCOS. The larger cohort consisted of all pre-menopausal women with a diagnosis of PCOS (18,477 women) picked up from National Patient Register, Denmark and a smaller local cohort of 1,162 women with PCOS who were examined at Odense University Hospital in Denmark. 

Women in the local group were examined and tested for insulin and glucose levels, cholesterol, triglycerides and testosterone levels.

Three age matched women were included as control for each study participant with a diagnosis of PCOS. The main outcome of interest was time and number of participants to develop diabetes.

The women were followed up for median 11.1 years.

The Hazard Ratio for development of T2D was 4.0 in PCOS Denmark (p<0.001), while the total event rate of T2D was 8.0 per 1000 patient years in PCOS Denmark vs. 2.0 per 1000 patient years in controls (p<0.001).

The women also developed diabetes 4 years earlier as compared to controls (31 years vs. 35 years).

BMI, fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, 2-hour blood glucose, insulin resistance, and triglycerides all were good predictors of risk of developing diabetes in future while having multiple children was protective against development of T2D.

The increased risk of developing T2D in PCOS is an important finding,” Glintborg said. “Diabetes may develop at a young age and screening for diabetes is important, especially in women who are obese and have PCOS.”

Access Abstract, Press Release by Endocrine Society