Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common endocrine disorder of premenopausal
women, is characterized by chronic hyperandrogenism, oligo- or anovulation, obesity,
and insulin resistance. Women who have PCOS are at increased risk for glucose intolerance,
type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disorders. Recent reports indicate an
unexpectedly high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in women who have PCOS.
Alterations in sex steroids and increased visceral adiposity could potentially contribute
to the increased prevalence of OSA in this disorder, and there may be strong associations
between the presence and severity of OSA and the metabolic disturbances that characterize
PCOS. Causal mechanisms in the link between PCOS and OSA remain to be elucidated.
Clinicians who manage PCOS patients should be aware of the high prevalence of OSA
and should systematically evaluate these women for sleep disturbances.
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Article info
Footnotes
This work was supported by RO1 HL075079 and P50 HD057796 to D.A.E., Scholars Grants in Sleep Medicine to E.T., and PO1 AG-11412 to E.V.C.
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Copyright
© 2008 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
