A Korea University Anam Hospital (KUAH) research team has confirmed that polycystic ovary syndrome increases the risk of type 2 diabetes in women regardless of obesity.

Professors Park Hyun-tae (left) and Ryu Ki-jin at Korea University Anam Hospital have confirmed that the risk of type 2 diabetes increases in women with polycystic ovary syndrome regardless of obesity. (KUAH)
Professors Park Hyun-tae (left) and Ryu Ki-jin at Korea University Anam Hospital have confirmed that the risk of type 2 diabetes increases in women with polycystic ovary syndrome regardless of obesity. (KUAH)

In general, polycystic ovary syndrome patients are often obese, and researchers have confirmed that they have various metabolic diseases. However, the research team found that Korean women have a high percentage of normal weight, even with polycystic ovary syndrome. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases simply by having polycystic ovary syndrome.

The research team, led by Professors Park Hyun-tae and Ryu Ki-jin, concluded so after analyzing National Health Insurance Service cohort database data from 2003 to 2012 on 6,811 women aged 15 to 44.

The researchers divided them into 1,136 people with polycystic ovary syndrome and 5,675 control groups. They found women with polycystic ovary syndrome had a 2.6-fold increase in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to women without polycystic ovary syndrome.

The team also confirmed no significant relationship between body mass index, family history, and cholesterol levels.

This study is significant because it has prepared a basis for presenting guidelines suitable for Koreans using local big data, they said.

The team stressed that the risk of type 2 diabetes for polycystic ovary syndrome patients is different in countries as a Finnish birth cohort study found that type 2 diabetes increased only in obese cases of polycystic ovary syndrome. In contrast, in Australia, type 2 diabetes also increased regardless of BMI.

"Existing studies mainly focused on Western women with a high proportion of obese polycystic ovary syndrome, and studies using data from Koreans with a relatively low prevalence of obesity were insufficient," Professor Ryu said. "Our team hopes that this research through local big data will provide an opportunity to improve treatment processes and guidelines for metabolic disease prevention and management after diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome."

Fertility and Sterility has published the results of the study.

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