Effect of body mass index on clinical manifestations in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome

Objective: To determine whether there is a correlation between body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure or clinical features such as hirsutism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Method: In this cross-sectional study, 62 women with PCOS were allocated to one of 3 groups according to a BMI range defining normal weight, overweight, or obesity. Blood pressure, waist-to-hip ratio, Ferriman and Gallwey hirsutism score, and presence of acne were recorded for each participant and the means were compared among groups. Results: The overall mean age was 35.85 +/- 5.03 years; BMI, 31.91 +/- 6.40; systolic and diastolic blood pressure, 113.02 +/- 16.10 mm Hg and 71.79 +/- 10.04 mm Hg; waist-to-hip ratio, 0.82 +/- 0.07; and hirsutism score, 3.63 +/- 4.35. Acne was present in 24 participants. Of these, 8 (33.3%) were overweight and 13 (54.2%) obese. When groups were compared, a progressive and significant increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressure was observed from the normal weight to the obese group. Conclusion: We observed a significant and progressive correlation between BMI and both blood pressure and clinical features in women with PCOS. (C) 2009 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.