Background: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The present study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of PCOS in type 2 diabetic patients.
Methods: Type 2 diabetic women (n = 157) of reproductive age were selected by a convenience sampling method. PCOS was confirmed using the clinical diagnosis criteria proposed in 1990 by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Conference of PCOS. The diabetic patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of PCOS. Baseline demographic characteristics were obtained by questionnaire, and body weight, height, waist circumference, blood pressure and some biochemical indices were measured in both groups.
Results: The prevalence of PCOS was high (8.3%, 95% confidence interval 4.5-13.4%) in these type 2 diabetic women. The onset of diabetes occurred at a lower age in the PCOS group, who also displayed significantly greater waist circumference and body mass index (p<0.05). No difference in lipid profile, glycosylated hemoglobin or blood pressure was observed between the two groups.
Conclusions: PCOS is highly prevalent in type 2 diabetic patients. Hence, focusing the treatment on insulin sensitizers in these patients should improve both the metabolic and non-metabolic complications of PCOS.