Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have lower health related quality of life (HRQL) and more symptoms of anxiety and depression than women without PCOS, where a higher BMI is positively correlated to both lower HRQL and more symptoms of anxiety and depression. Studies on women with PCOS and severe obesity regarding symptoms of anxiety and depression are lacking.

Aims: To examine if women with severe obesity and PCOS have lower HRQL and more symptoms of anxiety and depression than women with severe obesity without PCOS, and evaluate the effect of a structured weight reduction program. Further, to compare HRQL and symptoms of anxiety and depression in women with and without PCOS in different weight categories.

Patients and methods: In total, 407 women from four studies were included (PCOS n = 179, non-PCOS n = 228). The main study included 246 women with severe obesity (BMI ≥35) (PCOS n = 63, non-PCOS n = 183). To compare weight categories, data from earlier studies were added, including 134 women with BMI<35 (PCOS n = 63 non-PCOS n = 51). Questionnaires Short form (SF)-36 and Self-rating Scale for Affective Syndromes (CPRS-SA) were used to assess HRQL and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Women in the main study entered a weight reduction program, with a very low energy diet (VLED), and 73 women were left to follow-up (PCOS n = 16, non-PCOS n = 57).

Results: In women with severe obesity, HRQL and symptoms of anxiety and depression did not differ between women with and without PCOS. In women with normal- and overweight, women with PCOS had lower mental HRQL (P=0.001 resp. P=0.004) and more symptoms of anxiety (P=0.001 resp. P=0.001) and depression (P=0.002 resp. P=0.012) compared to women without PCOS. In women with severe obesity, significant weight reduction was achieved in both women with and without PCOS, and led to improved physical HRQL in both groups (PCOS: P=0.011, non-PCOS: P=0.001).

Conclusions: The difference in HRQL and symptoms of anxiety and depression seen between women with and without PCOS with normal- or overweight is not seen in women with severe obesity. Women with severe obesity benefits from losing weight to improve their physical HRQL. Keywords: Polycystic ovary syndrome, severe obesity, health related quality of life, anxiety, depression